Stopping Traffic for Jesus

They were all along the sidewalks of the intersection, several at each corner, effectively snarling traffic and hemming it in. Some carried signs, some chanted, the leader held a bullhorn and was roaring for repentance. Angry drivers held up on their way home shouted and gestured at them but they held their ground, approaching the cars with a religious fire and passion better served in church. They had no pamphlets to give, no buckets to beg with - they were young zealots with smiles, carrying the message bravely - God Loves You, Repent and Be Saved, Is Jesus in Your Soul and my favorite, It's The Evening of the Apocalypse, Do You Know Where Your Church Is? All this in the midst of small town rush hour traffic on a steamy July night.

There are no doubt souls in this world in need of serious saving, needing to be brought back to God and a peaceful afterlife but if stopping traffic is the way to do it, then the message may need a slight revision. Southern folk don't welcome this close up and personal invasion by the faithful, not while the cars overheat and the ice cream melts. We don't care to be force fed our spirituality no matter how sincere the messengers and revival meetings on busy city street corners are going to be met with resistance.

A pretty young thing with her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail rushed a pickup truck trying to manoever into a parking space at the local chicken shack. Her sign read Give It Up for Jesus and the driver slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting her while shouting a long and lusty stream of profanity about what she could do with her sign and her Savior. An eighteen wheeler unable to make a right turn and likely late with his delivery simply turned off his engine and stopped in mid course to threaten the protesters about what would happen if they didn't clear the streets. The young man with the bullhorn raged on about sin and salvation and someone threw a well aimed bag of chicken wings at him - he ducked and continued his shouting and gesturing with renewed enthusiasm.

In good time the police arrived, dispersed the young lions, cleared traffic and restored order with a minimum of effort and no fuss. Rush hour resumed with no further delay and neighborhood dogs made quick work of the chicken wings. The corner was reclaimed and it was back to business as usual. Most of us prefer to find our own salvation rather than be led or dragged to it.