Hiding Bibles Under Our Shirts

Written by Lisa Sollami

I was driving to Trader Joe's during the noon service last week when I found the last parking place near the store. A big white vehicle pull in ahead of me. A parking attendant was nearby. I listened as he asked the woman where she was going. She said she was going to church. When the attendant pointed out that she couldn't park there, she changed her story. "I am going to Trader Joe's."

I saw that she had a Bible with her. Perhaps she was on her way to pray for those shoppers who squeezed the vegetables?

Most of us appreciate the traffic and parking workers that help before and during each Rock Church worship service. These are brave and patient people. By knowing and following the parking rules, we are able to get to church safely and promptly.

It is easy to slip outside of the designated church parking areas. In particular, it is tempting to park in the parking spaces close to our neighbor merchants, including Trader Joe's, Von's and several others. But the spaces close to the stores are strictly reserved (and clearly marked) for store customers.

An employee of Trader Joe's named Erica says that she and other employees see people parking in retail spaces and then walking to Rock Church with Bibles hidden under their shirts. Please, take the Bibles out of your shirts and carry them proudly, as you walk from your legitimate parking places.