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| Photo: John Snape, Flickr |
If Jesus lived on earth today, what sort of vehicle would he use in ministry?
Granted, if he came to the planet today on my continent, he’d be living in the inner-city and taking mass transit. But what if he had a family of four and lived in the burbs? (Play hypothetical with me here.)
The car conversation comes up in our home quite often. Our family SUV seats 7, but drinks gas like it needs to go to a 12 step meeting. I want to do the right thing for the economy, the environment, and our budget. So what kind of car should someone striving to have the nature of a servant own?
I like our SUV. I do. It makes me happy when I can offer to carpool and take 6 kids with me. Edd’s dad worked on General Motors’ line his whole working career, so driving the Acadia manufactured 5 miles away from my in-law’s house assures me we are helping their local economy.
On the flip side, the smaller car’s gas-saving qualities are tempting. With the driving around town we do, filling up the tank more than once a week does not bring me peace.
The “what ifs” scramble my brain.
- What if we go camping and need more storage space? (It could happen.)
- What if my parents are here and we all want to ride in a car together?
- What if we all go somewhere and each girl wants to bring a friend?
- What if we starve because all of our food money is going toward fuel? (This may be an exaggeration.)
*Disclaimer-I know that even owning a car puts me in the elite class of the world as a whole. We are pretty darned blessed to be able to have “problems” like this one.
For more conversation on serving in your community, like the Nature of a Servant Facebook page or follow Andee_Z on Twitter.
A car is a combination of personal expression, family needs and budget. We've always tried to get what fits best for all 3 categories and tried to keep the vehicle for 10 years before trading it in.
I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this, and that you're thinking about it all in the first place. Our car decisions are mostly based on finances but have resulted in some "green" benefits, too. I agree with the previous comment that you should make the best choice for your most pressing car needs and your budget (pro con lists are useful here, and I think they're FUN!). Sometimes I do miss being able to offer carpool services, but for us being a one-car, small sedan family is what works for our budget and lifestyle at the moment.