car salesman

One time when I was younger, I went with my mom to "look" at cars. My dad ad bro couldn't go so my mom and I just went out to browse. If you are a woman, don't go browse alone. Car salesmen can be sooooooo pushy and so manipulative that it might make you buy a car or just nausea. I think I get my people pleasing obsession and my ability to say no from my mom, and this is a perfect example of that. We were trying to lease a car for $150 a month. We knew that this was a ridiculous price, but were like, hey, whatever, we're just looking. This salesman came over to us and was like we are going to help you out. He's like, ma'am, will you sign this paper saying that if I get you a brand new car down to $150 a month, you'll buy it. So my mom was like, sure, why not? Then he proceeds to take her drivers license so we can't leave. SO weird and SO shady. To make a long story short, he got the car down to $150, but that didn't include all these taxes, which bumped it up to $200 a month - which we didn't find that out until after signing all the papers. My mom drove her new car home bawling and feeling very used and abused. She knew some of it was her own doing and inability to walk away, but still, it was a pretty bad situation. Thank the Lord my dad is maybe the most laid back, level headed guy I know. I HAVE to marry someone like that or I will forever have comparison issues because my dad is so great. He was SO awesome about the car thing - made my mom not quite as sick over it.

Anyways...sometimes I feel like a used car salesman when I am telling people about Jesus. Especially when I'm at camp with kids. I feel like I'm trying to convince them that Jesus is the greatest thing going - I try and think of all the ways that he will benefit their life - which is ok to a point, but not when it gets sales-ish. Jesus doesn't need us to sell him. He sells himself. He is attractive and amazing without us - in fact, I feel like we dirty him up a bit. Not intentionally, but we minimize his awesomeness. One of the program guys at camp was like, You don't see ads for lamburghini's (sp?) but you see a TON of ads for used or previously owned cars. A lamburghini sells itself. You don't need to give a great deal for it. You just need to get the buyer in front of it, and it'll do the rest itself. I hate it when I forget that my role is to get these amazing kids and people in my life in front of Jesus. My responsibility isn't to take their drivers license or have them sign some ridiculous contract, but my responsibility is to love them and bring them to the foot of the cross.

God, please remind me of my role - thank you that in the end you are so much bigger than I am.