Bus #76

Nearly every day of my schooling years I rode the bus to school…bus #76…at least until my older brother could drive…then I rode with him…until he put the car in the ditch…and then I rode the bus again…despite the dangers of the bus…it was still safer.

Riding the bus to school is an adventure in the cultural woes of prepubescent children.  Comparative to Daniel in the Lions…I think King Darius may have given a harsher punishment by banishing Daniel to bus #76. 

As I would step onto the “Cruel Bus” I would pray…please let there be a seat away from Glen…any seat away from Glen. Yet, it seemed to always be my bane…the only seats available, were the seats in front of…behind…and next to…Glen.  Apparently I wasn’t the only one who avoided seats in close proximity to the Cruel Bus Bully. 

My ears have never recovered from the constant flicking fingers of Glen.  In fact, I believe that my ears are still misshaped because of the incessant tweaking.

I am still missing my blue stocking cap, that was snatched from my head and thrown out the bus window on Minnesota County Rd. 6.  Keep your eyes open would you?

I attribute my 43 year old back problems to the kid kicking my seat for the 45 minutes bus ride to school.

My tongue is still scarred from the trapper keeper that was slammed in my face.

I couldn’t help but wonder…if the School Bus was indeed…the “Gates of Hell” as Jesus talked about in Matthew 16?

As I have studied that passage, I have become enamored with the richness of the text.  It is an astounding passage.  Jesus stands at the most sinful place in all of Palestine…it is bus #76 of Palestine! It is at this moment that he tells his Disciples…that he is going to build his Church…and bus #76, nor the “Gates of Hell” will be able to stand against it! (*so as to not be accused of heresy…Jesus did not actually say “bus #76”…but he might have…if he had ever ridden bus #76).

In the book of Acts…we see this promise of the coming church come to fruition! This is the tool that Jesus has designed for the world…for all mankind.  It is the Church!  He has established it!...and He will empower it!