Baseball, Apple pie, and Chevrolet

Hopefully as you read the title of this article your mind immediately raced to one overwhelming thought, AMERICAN. Why do you suppose that is? Could it be that these things, baseball games, apple pies, and Chevrolet have been entrenched and engrained in our minds since we were born as being American? In fact, we would even go so far as say that anyone who doesn’t like these things quite possibly is not American. Advertisers have made a very lucrative career on these perceptions for decades by placing these particular items along side their products. All known forms of media also have included these icons in their movies, shows, papers, books, etc. Why? They want to be associated with being American. There is great patriotism and pride in being an American and in America itself. Thus, these particular images shout that whatever or whoever is doing them is American. We like that, we relish in that, and we want to be associated with that classification.
As the nation stands poised to celebrate our annual July 4th holiday commemorating America’s independence from Great Britain, get ready for a barrage of red, white, and blue ads, featuring apple pie, Chevrolets, and baseball games. It’s the greatest time of the year to be proud of being an American. We’ll also celebrate by remembering that our freedom was never free and that it cost many their very lives. It was a price that they were willing to pay because they were proud to be Americans, and proud to wave the stars and stripes! During this month, as you enjoy eating your apple pie and playing or watching a baseball game or riding in a vehicle with the blue bowtie just know that you are testifying to the world that you are proud to be an American.
It has occurred to me through years of observation that while we have no problem with the previously described associations of being American, it’s not quite the same way with being associated as a Christian. What icons might be considered as associated with Christianity? Perhaps, the top of the list might include a Bible, a cross, prayers, and of course church. While most of us have no problem carrying our bible to church, or praying in church, why does it seem so difficult to carry it throughout the rest of the week any where we go. Why is it so difficult to pray outside of the church within the public arena, perhaps at restaurants or work places just to name a few? Why does it seem so difficult for us even to be faithful to attend church more than once a week? What are we communicating to the watching world? Are we ashamed of being associated with Christ?
You see just as the privilege of being an American isn’t free, so also being a Christian is not free. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who was God’s Son came to this earth, died on a cross to take our place, to atone for the sin in our lives, and rose from the grave victoriously in defeating sin and death for the whole world including Americans. Just food for thought, the next time you attend or watch a baseball game pray over the teams and for the Christian witness of some of the players to shine. Pray over that chocolate chip cookie dough blizzard you just ordered right there in front of folks at Dairy Queen. The next time you ride in that old Chevrolet let it be on your way to church and be proud not only to be an American, but more importantly to be a Christian.