“All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12, NRSV)
I’ve noticed that vanity license plates seem to be multiplying like rabbits in our area. It seems that more and more people want you to be envious of either their vehicle or themselves or both. In Colorado, that statement of how awesome a person is must be made in not more than seven letters and/or numbers, including spaces. People look to be creative in the midst of those limitations, as well as not worry about Spellcheck.
So you get license plates that say things like “TheBoss” and “FastGal.” “SeeYa”, “MrMacho”, and “YouWish” are meant to tell you something about the car that whizzed by you.
It used to be that there would be catchy bumper stickers on vehicles that you’d read, like “We’re out spending our grandkid’s inheritance!” and “The One who dies with the most toys wins!” However, someone could pick up one of those at the truck stop down the road or Spencer’s Gifts. Vanity plates brought a sense of privilege to the story.
I’ve noticed that vanity plates are rarely attached to Grandpa or Grandma’s cars, Ford Focuses, or Nissan Sentras. They seem to surface on the back of BMWs, Ford Mustangs, or any kind of red sports car. They seem to nonverbally say, “Look at me!” I have yet to see a license plate on a BMW that says, “ITPAID4”!
We have a need to be noticed. Vanity plates works for some of us. Others talk about their impressive resume or wear their varsity school letter jacket that displays their achievements. I remember when I bought my varsity “I” jacket (Ironton High School), I wore it to the first football game even though it was ninety degrees and humid. I wanted to be seen for what I had already done.
It was no different in Jesus’ day. People needed to be noticed, except it was more the wealthy and religious. The poor had no place. The outcast was not to be seen by anyone. For the most part, women were to remain quiet and dependent. The religious aristocrats looked to sit in the most notable seats, the places of honor. Jesus said the Pharisees “loved to make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.” (Matthew 23:5, NRSV) Think vanity licenses plates of the first century!
Everyone has a purpose, but some people have such an elevated sense of their importance that their view of life becomes distorted. Like the middle school boy athlete who has developed a strut in his walk to let people know that he “has handles” and can “shoot the jay!” Other people in the local Target wouldn’t know that unless he walked his cockiness.
Now, I’ll slap myself in the face, because I hope people notice my writing. I’ll get a strut in my step as I arise from my writing stool at Starbucks and go for my free refill. For me, I guess I have a vanity stool. However, it’s not limited to seven letters.
Maybe I should think about a vanity plate like “WrdFrWW”!
Nah!
Words from WW Blog 