Nearly Limitless
The beauty and the appeal of the Ford Bronco – old or new – lies in its nearly limitless ability. Rock-crawling, dune-jumping, mudding (or muddin’), hauling, snow-plowing… its list of abilities goes on.
Car folks at Ford HQ in Dearborn, Michigan had the unenviable task of repackaging this icon for the 21st century while respecting the traits that made the original such a legend. Judging by the number of pre-orders and the media praise, it’s safe to say that they nailed it. The new Bronco is just as nearly limitless as the old one.
Yes, “nearly.” See, the Bronco can’t do everything that’s asked of it. With such broad appeal, there’s a similarly broad range of expectations heaped upon it, some of which it doesn’t meet:
An all-electric powertrain to compete with the new Hummer
A diesel engine
A third row
A Raptor version
A twin-turbo V12 with hybrid assist, and perfume atomizers that spritz the cabin with vanilla grapefruit fragrance
Put all these in there, and the Bronco suddenly isn’t a Bronco. The Ford Bronco can’t please ‘em all while still being the truck it was designed to be. This limitation is actually another strength of the Bronco. Strange as it sounds, it may be helpful to start thinking of Jesus this way, as not being capable of doing everything that’s asked of him. He didn’t deliver his people from political subjugation to Roman rule. He didn’t make it easier for people to earn salvation through works. He didn’t deliver his followers from their ordinary, unremarkable social statuses. He did what God the Father sent him to do – deliver us from the consequences of our sinful condition – and that was enough. It was everything we need, but can he do everything? Nearly. He can’t deliver us from:
The expectation that we earn material gain if we try to be good people. Instead, we get to “preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:8)
Public scrutiny when following him is unpopular. Scrutiny isn’t the same thing as persecution, yet God can use scrutiny (or skepticism) to make us witnesses of His love and truth to people who really need it. God has a plan for people who reject Christ-followers (think of Paul), so Christ-followers have no business rejecting them in return. “They will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account on my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them.” (Luke 21:12-13)
Earthly consequences of our sin (you can’t pray that speeding ticket away). If you tried to correct someone’s behavior without having all the facts, or projected your own feelings onto someone else’s experience, God may allow some pain to teach and correct you. He does this because he loves you – and he also loves the person you may have hurt. “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves...” (Proverbs 3:11-12)
The desire to do something we know we shouldn’t. We aren’t promised an immediate relief from this. But God promises to act within our minds, amazingly, to renew us and reveal what His will is. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
Jesus is Jesus. A Bronco is a Bronco. A Bronco Sport is not a Bronco, although it’s cool and capable in its own way. But is it as cool as a Bronco? Not nearly.
