Jesus in a Tire Shop

It was time for an oil change in my car. I pulled into a tire store that has a big sign out front, “Oil Change $19.95”. I park the car and walk in the door – a man greets me and I hand over my car keys for the oil change – he walks away to get started.

As I am standing in front of the counter I notice a picture of someone on the wall behind the counter. I look at it for a moment and realize, though there is no label, this tire store has a picture of Jesus behind the counter. I was honestly surprised. I see pictures of Jesus almost everyday but this was a picture in an unexpected place.

I look at the women patiently waiting for her oil change and ask, “Excuse me, who do you think this picture is of behind the counter?”

“Ummmm, I don’t know – Jesus maybe?” She responded.

“Are you sure it’s Jesus?” I ask innocently.

“Well it could be a boss – but I’m pretty sure that’s Jesus.”

Then I sit down and we chat about a few other topics and a man who works at the store walks in. He goes behind a different counter and starts working. So, I ask, “Sir, sorry to bug you but I noticed the picture behind the counter – do you know who that is?”

“Huh, haven’t really thought about it before. Jesus maybe?” He responds.

“Are you sure it’s Jesus?”

“Well no – but when the manager comes back here we can ask.”

“Thanks.”

Later, the manager approaches the lady waiting to pay for her oil change and she leaves. Then I go for one more round of questioning.

“Sir, do you know who is in the picture on the wall behind you?”

“Yeah – that’s my boss!”

“Your boss?”

“Jesus.”

“Huh, pictures of Jesus in a tire store, interesting!” I state with a smile on my face.

“Yeah, the owner of this shop is very religious. Did you notice the name of the store? New Life Tires.”

As our conversation continued I eventually shared that I am a pastor in Naples. He then started to tell me his own personal faith story – including current struggles and how he has strayed from the church. I listened – eventually paid for my oil change and left.

I realized that most of us have an image of Jesus in our head. It’s a picture of a skinny white man with long hair and a beard. Yet, when I asked two unknowing bystanders in an unreligious setting if they were sure it was Jesus both questioned whether or not it was Jesus.

I am assuming if we were in a church there would have been no question about who was in the picture. Yes, Jesus is even in a tire shop.

Wonder where else we don’t realize God is present as I go about our day!