What Drives You?

A few years ago, Bruce and I started a game of Punch Bug that still has not ended. Anyone who has ridden in a vehicle with us – or just been in public with us, for that matter – undoubtedly heard us playing, or at least has seen us punch each other, lovingly of course! We can’t help ourselves.

The problem is that we make up our own rules as we go, and without the prior consent of the other person. You can see why this is a potential problem.

So I googled it. And WOW! That opened up a whole new Punch Bug World for me! I thought it was pretty interesting, so I thought I would share a few nuggets (Bruce, make sure you take notes so you don’t keep cheating!)

According to www.Beetlemania.org:
An official Punch Bug is either a vintage Volkswagen Beetle or the newer Volkswagen Beetle. It is not any other Volkswagen vehicle; nor is it a Beetle that has been modified beyond recognition. Any and all cars on the lot of a Volkswagen Dealerships are not allowable – they are considered to be “in time out.” However they must leave the lot eventually! Beetles on non-Volkswagen car lots are not under restriction and are fair game.

The gist of the game is, when you see one, you say “Punch Buggy” or “Punch Bug” while simultaneously punching the person you’re with. The punch doesn’t need to be hard. It is not necessary to add “No punch backs!” Punch backs are absolutely not allowed, and will cost you one point for each punch thrown. Not to mention, you will thereby be known as a “party pooper.”

One point is awarded to the first person who calls each Punch Buggy seen. If you wrongly identify a car as a Punch Buggy and call it, one point is deducted from your score. If you have already hit the person with whom you're playing and then the misidentification is confirmed, the person wrongly Punch Buggied may at his discretion double punch the offender immediately OR he may save the mis-punch until the next time you have a legitimate Punch Buggy and he can take the hit away from you. To do that, the victim of the misidentification and hit says "Save it for later." The next time you spot a legitimate Punch Buggy, you can still call it, however you are banned from following through with a hit. If you forget and hit anyway you forfeit the game and the other person wins.

This morning, I also got to thinking - What if Christians were like the Punch Buggies of the world? Shouldn’t we love God so much that our lives stand out from everything else (Matthew 22:36-38)? Shouldn’t our love for others and our willingness to serve them be something that brings joy to them (John 13:35, Galatians 5:13-14)? Regretfully, too often I am not that way. Sometimes it’s tough to make every aspect of my life as God-glorifying as it should be. And it’s even tougher to love everyone and – gasp – serve them! It’s comfortable to be on my parking lot in time out. But how many folks will pass by, seeking something from me before I leave my lot?

Just who’s driving this car anyway?