We Are Just Bus Drivers

I just read an incredibly interesting news article. Apparently, 18-year-old James L. Harris was charged with three counts each of third-degree grand theft and burglary of an occupied conveyance. However, this was no average automobile theft. Harris took buses from several Miami-Dade Transit bus depots and drove the buses on their routes. Like a professional bus driver, he picked up and dropped off passengers along the way. Harris dressed like a Miami-Dade Transit employee and at the end of the day, returned the buses. Harris didn’t even steal any fare from his passengers! Police have set up an investigation to determine whether or not Harris had assistance from Miami-Dade Transit employees. Maybe he was doing a favor for a few bus drivers who needed the night off. Maybe he was trying to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a bus driver. Whatever the case may be, Harris was doing someone else’s job for them, whether or not he was asked.
Several years ago, the band Caedmon’s Call produced a song about a bus driver. It talks about a bus driver who picks up a woman headed to the bank, a retail salesman, and various others. He ponders the notion of what his town would be without him. He doesn’t see a lot of change, but he does know that his absence would effect at least the retail store and bank to which he delivers passengers. I’ve read several interpretations of the song, but I believe that it is about our personal significance as part of the body of Christ. Who doesn’t question their importance from time to time? I think we’ve all wondered where we stand in the universe. It’s easy to feel inconsequential and meaningless.
1 Corinthians 12 talks about our spiritual gifts. We have different talents and abilities. In the past week, I’ve seen a lot of these displayed by various people from the congregation. Without everyone’s help, we couldn’t have had a VBE or such a wonderful memorial service. We wouldn’t even have cabinets installed in the kitchen! It’s important to realize that we all have a job to do. And, unlike the Miami-Dade Transit Authority, we can’t leave someone else to do our job. We can each do a lot of good through God.