Shutterfly sent me a notification this week.
They were emailing to notify me that if I didn’t make a purchase by the end of May, all of the photos stored in my account would be permanently deleted by May 31st. 😳😳😳
Quite a marketing strategy…
Afraid of losing these precious memories, I scrolled through hundreds of pictures, saving them to my phone — it was like looking through a time capsule of our lives over the past 10 years.
In the process, I ran across this photo of Ben from Christmas morning 2013. He was sitting in front of our Christmas tree, wearing his brand new bike helmet, grinning from ear to ear, and giving two thumbs up.
The very sight of it stopped me in my tracks — it was the same helmet he was wearing the day he crashed on his mountain bike just a few short weeks ago.
I’m sure it wasn’t the most expensive (or most exciting) Christmas gift he’s ever received, but in hindsight, it felt almost eerie knowing what an impact it would have just a few years down the road (no pun intended).
Had he not been wearing his helmet the moment he crashed, the outcome of his accident would have undoubtedly been much, much worse.
That helmet helped save his life that day. ❤️
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Ephesians 6:13-17 talks about a similar helmet — the helmet of salvation.
Of course, it’s not a literal helmet, but it’s part of the metaphorical armor that Christians are called to wear.
While Ben’s bike helmet offered physical protection, the helmet of salvation is meant to offer spiritual salvation.
I’m actually so grateful that my husband was wearing BOTH that day. 🙏🙏🙏
When choosing his bike helmet, my husband that it was important to ensure it was one that was approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
He explained that a lot of helmets may look good on the outside, but you have to read the fine print to find out whether they are DOT-approved…and not just some knock-off.
“What’s the difference?” I asked.
He simply replied, “One will protect you. The other won’t.”
Boom. Light bulb moment.
When it comes to putting on our spiritual helmet, we have to make sure we are putting on one that is GOD-approved, as well. We need to do our research and read the fine print in God’s Word.
In Mark 16:16, Jesus says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
The way I see it, both parts (belief and baptism) are essential to salvation.
When you believe that Jesus is the Son of God it’s like picking up that helmet of salvation and placing it on your head. When you are baptized for the remission of your sins, it’s like buckling the chin strap, providing full protection.
Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is just trying to sell you some cheap counterfeit — it may look nice, but doesn’t provide any actual benefit.
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I know, I know….not everyone is a fan of helmets. They aren’t always glamorous — they’re actually kind of nerdy-looking and they give you horrible hat hair. 😂
But, they could save your life…physically and spiritually.
With so much on the line, why wouldn’t you wear one?
Especially when we have the hope of one day trading that unsightly hard hat for an eternal crown (II Timothy 4:8).
Until next time…
-PWAP
