A friend recently reminded me of this commercial and
then told me: “I want a state-farm God—a God who will pull me out of
troublesome situations rather than just stand by my side while enraged
buffaloes attack me.”
What an authentic statement! Isn’t this what we all
want—a God who will not merely stand
by while we suffer, but will whisk us away as soon as we say a magic prayer?
Those of us who have dealt with insurance agents
know that this commercial is meant to be a humorous exaggeration. In real life,
the car would be wrecked and we would suffer. After the accident, we would have
to call the insurance company, an agent may show up eventually, survey the
damage, write up a claim report—and weeks or months later, we might get
reimbursed for the medical costs and car repairs.
I don’t think most viewers would take this
commercial literally. I doubt that anyone signs up for insurance, pays monthly
premiums, and expects the insurance agent to prevent catastrophes. Yet we are
tempted to take Scripture verses—especially ones that promise blessings in
return for prayer, donations, sacrifices, or service—literally.
I’m not sure what to expect from God. I suspect that
everything I believe is merely a metaphor for the Truth…
No comments:
Post a Comment