Encouragement

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Sergeant Mocha’s New Car
© 2009

by

Stephen A. Peterson


Following a 20 month tour of duty in Iraq, Air Force Sergeant Roger Mocha was granted a month of rest and relaxation in Kuwait before shipping out to return to the United States. While taking a tour of Kuwait City, Sergeant Mocha came across an auto dealership. He could hardly believe his eyes when he found a 2007 Toyota for just over $1500 and under 20,000 miles. The car was mechanically sound, the tires had good tread, the seats and carpet look almost brand new. The outside of the vehicle looked unkept and dusty. When the Sergeant examined the silver surface he could see dents, dings and scratches from its front to rear.

As the Kuwaiti salesman attempted to explain all of the good points of the vehicle, Sergeant wondered if the car he considered purchasing could ever regain its original finish and luster. Sergeant Mocha decided to do one more walk around before he invested his hard earned money in this vehicle. Taking out a clean handkerchief, he dipped it in a small amount of vehicle cleaner. On the worst spot he could find, he applied the cleaner. Much to Sergeant Mocha’s surprise and delight and with a great deal of hard rubbing, he found that the dirty, dull, silver, Toyota could produce a magnificent shine. The salesman did not have to say another word. Sergeant Mocha took out his wallet then gave the salesman $2000 in cash much to the salesman’s delight. He drove off the lot confident that he made a prudent and wise purchase!

Christians in and outside of the Armed Services of the United States have the potential to convey the goodness, value and joy of Christianity and the Life of Christ anywhere he or she may go without a hard sell much in the same way the Kuwaiti salesman did in the case of Sergeant Mocha. So why do so many of the Christian faith often meet up with non-believer resistance. Fulton J. Sheen, a prominent Roman Catholic bishop of the middle twentieth century, observed: “one of the greatest sins of Christianity down through the ages since Jesus has been the sins of Christians that have stained the beautiful words and character of Jesus in the Christian and non-Christian worlds.”

As with Sergeant Mocha’s car, sin has marred and left stains upon our Christian personalities and filth that needs to be removed in order for the true beauty of the personality of Jesus Christ may be seen in us and eventually in the eyes of world.

The part of Christianity that many Christians do not like is the change that must occur in life through the buffing of brokenness, difficulties, trials, pain and suffering. For it has been through difficulties and the pressures of life that the filth and grime of rebellion and selfishness are loosened and washes away from human personalities in Christ. Paul the Apostle in his letter to the Roman’s wrote that trials and tribulations produce perseverance, character, hope and confidence by the Holy Spirit.

Humanness generally desires a quick, speedy car wash to do the trick to deal with human sin natures. However, there is no substitute for the trials that can bring out the shine and brilliance of Christ’s personality in those willing to accept His challenge faithfully knowing that He knows exactly what He is doing. It is up to the Christian to believe and trust is the most difficult part of the equation.

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