Kicked Off The Bus
By Jesse Flowers
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Did you hear about this story in the news that was reported near the beginning of the year? A Texas woman was traveling by city bus with her children to church services. While on the bus she read the Bible to her children. She was suddenly interrupted by the bus driver who requested that she stop reading the Bible. Christine Lutz’ response to the driver: “No, I’m reading the Bible, I’m teaching the kids, I’m going to continue.” So that’s exactly what she did. But the bus driver then proceeded to pull over and escorted Christine and her children off the bus. Now to be fair, we should add that the supervisor did take the family by van to their place of worship. Of course, neither you nor I were present on the bus when all of this occurred, so we don’t know how loudly she read the Bible. But with the typical noises of a bus ride, it’s hard to imagine she could have been that much of a disturbance. Certainly other folks engage in conversation regularly on buses. Talk on their cell phones (sometimes loudly). Or even listen to music at such a volume that many others have to endure it. Those things are allowed, perhaps reluctantly at times, but nevertheless tolerated. But not the reading of the Word of God. A conscientious mother was being kept from publicly teaching her children the precepts of God. Rather than being punished for doing so, this woman should have been commended by the city’s mass transit system. Christine Lutz needs to be held up as the ideal example of what a mother should be doing when traveling somewhere with her children. “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:7). And yet our society rewards the evil, and suppresses the good. But just imagine the condition of our neighborhoods, communities, cities, and nation if more mothers would diligently teach the Holy Scriptures to their offspring which are able to make them wise for salvation (2 Timothy 3:14-15). We need more mothers (and fathers) that possess the courage to unashamedly share the testimony of the Lord with their family members and others (Matt. 10:32; 2 Timothy 1:7-8). This story certainly alarms me as to what may be on the horizon for New Testament Christians. God and His word has been kicked out of the public schools, removed from monuments and currency, and now public transportation. But this is not the time to shrink or shirk back in our service. This is the time to stand up and be counted. As Jesus taught us: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:13-16). As we continue to live in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, let us not forget our vital role of shining as bright lights in this dark world (Phil. 2:16). As the Lord said to Paul, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you” (Acts 18:9-10). |
To everything there is a season, |
