Sticker suggestion

I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that, I admit, I took some offense to.

I don’t have a problem with Jesus;
I just can’t stand His followers.

And me being a follower of Jesus in the car next to him, wondered how anyone could put a statement of blatant dislike on their car. I hate Republicans, Democrats, Christians, Atheists, Animal-killers. Whatever. I mean, isn’t road rage bad enough as it is without extra name-calling and finger-pointing? I found myself wondering if I should stay behind him, like you’re supposed to do with drunk drivers…much safer behind.

First, I will say that I obviously know what this guy is talking about. Because, quite frankly, I have problems with a lot of people who say they follow Jesus. I get it. I understand. But, don’t be mean, because here’s the thing…following is never perfect. It’s like a copy of the real thing—it’s never as good.

I’ve followed some of my mom’s recipes. I’ve followed them to a T, or so I thought—until I pulled it out of the oven only to discover that it looked very unlike momma’s. Playing HORSE out in the driveway as a kid always used to bother me a little bit because the person after me could never stand exactly where I had stood, let alone shoot exactly like I had. You’re supposed to follow the person before you, but it was never perfect. And most recently I’ve been trying to follow some Amy Butler sewing patterns (don’t even get me started on how ridiculously, unnecessarily wordy her patterns are!). I’m trying my darndest to follow them, but I’ve made some mistakes (no help from Amy) and have needed my stitch-ripper pretty handy.

So, to the guy in the van with the mean sticker. Maybe it’s not that you can’t stand followers of Jesus. Maybe it’s that you can’t stand the fact that many of them think their following is perfect, when it’s not. Because I can’t stand that either, and sometimes I’m even guilty of this thinking.

I’d suggest:

I don’t have a problem with Jesus;
I just sometimes get somewhat frustrated with those who think that they’re following him perfectly.

Something along those lines may be a little less road-ragey.