As a young, single man -- newly independent (meaning out from under Mom's roof) and owner of my first car, the need for insurance coverage was somewhat impressed upon me by the State of Texas. The coverage options were great indeed. There were so many car insurance providers, and of the different policies available, it all seemed to boil down to two choices -- liability only or full coverage (liability plus comp and collision).
Full coverage insurance would cover me, my vehicle and any person with whom I had an accident, whether I was at fault or not. It would also cover "acts of God," like hail damage or a tree falling on my car. There were some different perks available to full-coverage insurance holders, but it was at least twice as much as liability-only insurance.
Liability insurance would only cover the costs of the person I hit. For everything else, I was on my own. Because the law required that I carry at least liability insurance, and it was much less expensive, I opted for the cheapest liability-only coverage I could find. I imagine I made the same choice many young people do. In case anything happened, at least I was covered on that front.
After I got older, married and started a family, I knew liability insurance would no longer cut the mustard. It wasn't just about me anymore. If something did happen -- if we were in an accident, then I wanted to be sure that my family would not have to worry much about medical bills or other extraordinary expenses. Moreover, because I was not so much of a young man anymore (over 26 years old), the cost for full coverage insurance had dropped tremendously.
I elected to get all those extra coverages I'd previously turned down, and it felt as if I had been invited into some exclusive club. Uninsured motorist, roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement! Some companies even offered a small life insurance policy. I had to pay more for full coverage than I did for liability-only coverage, but the added cost was worth not only the peace I received, but also the extra benefits that were afforded to me.
Not long ago, and much later than I should have, I realized that I regarded my faith like insurance: I had chosen liability coverage and purchased just enough to be legally covered. I believed in God, had accepted Jesus as my Savior, and was comfortable being identified as a Christian. I figured I had done at least enough to make it into Heaven. However, there were other things in my life that didn't always line up with the way I knew God wanted me to live. As a result, I spent more time than I should have worried if I was really forgiven. I didn't have peace. Even though I knew I could just ask for forgiveness and try hard to "be good," I also knew there was more to being a follower of Christ than just that.
I have learned that once we are saved, we are equipped as warriors for God to go out and do His will according to His purpose, to worship in Spirit and in Truth, and to align ourselves with the will of the Father. When we do that, we will experience the "full coverage" benefits of God's mercy, grace and favor. We will know a peace that cannot be explained by mere words. Obtaining those benefits requires more from us, but we get so much more in return.
If you think AAA is good, you should try God's emergency roadside service!
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Robert Honeycutt is the office manager at The Weekly Vista. His email address is [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Religion on 11/16/2016