Real I. D.

 

In a few months Real I. D. takes effect in the United States. To fly on a commercial plane or to enter a federal facility we will need either a state – issued Real I. D. drivers license, or a passport. 

Since my driver’s license doesn’t expire for a few years, and since I don’t want to go through the process of getting an eye exam and having it forwarded to the DMV right now, I will carry my passport with me to comply with Real I. D. requirements. 

Now you may ask, “Why carry your passport? Won’t it be cumbersome to carry the little booklet?”

I won’t be carrying the passport book. When I renewed my passport, I also obtained a passport card which fits nicely into my wallet, it is the same size as my driver’s license.

When Real I. D. takes effect, there are going to be some surprised people who try to board flights and are refused entry. Some may show their traditional driver’s license and argue that it should be enough to allow them on a plane or into a federal facility, but they will be turned away. Being a verified Virginian (as close to heaven as that is), an Iowan, an Ohioan, or even a Texan will not be enough; we must be verified citizens of the United States of America. This is going to be hard for Texans to swallow but I think they’ll work through it. 

As a boy reading history, I marveled at the short-sightedness of the Greek city states, refusing to work together to oppose foreign aggression – they would rather fight each other than the Persians. I saw the same dynamic as I read the history of Scotland, the clans would rather slaughter and betray one another than stand against English invaders. In fact, clans would often align themselves with the English in order to achieve their own ends, which often meant revenge on other clans. There would be no Real I. D. for the Greeks or Scots!

About the only dumber thing I have seen than the Scots and Greeks are the Christians. 

Jesus prays that we will be one as the Trinity is one (see John 17) and we don’t care, not really. We teach our people to be Congregationalists or Baptists or Pentecostals or Roman Catholics or Lutherans or Orthodox or Nondenominational (whatever that is), and we justify this in any number of ways for any number of reasons.

We are not honest enough to say, “We’ve messed this up. Jesus help us.” 

Nope, we’d rather let the Persians or English tear us and our people apart – in fact, we’ll even align ourselves with those opposed to God’s Kingdom and justify our actions than embrace the prayer and call of Jesus for unity in Him.

This is stupid, and it is rebellious. After all, Jesus purchased us with His blood, and we are no longer our own. He did not purchase us to be Presbyterian or Methodist or Brethren or Conservative or Liberal or Evangelical; He purchased us to belong to Him and in belonging to Him, also belonging to one another.  

Won’t we be surprised when Jesus asks us for our Real I. D.?