"The Nicest Thing Ever Done for Me" --Receiving a Free Ride

One of my favorite church outreaches is providing Oneonta's downtown partygoers with free rides home. Almost every time we do it, I receive the same compliment from at least one person, "This is the nicest thing that anyone's ever done for me." Hearing this always strikes me as odd because I think to myself, "Really? You must be exaggerating, it's just a free ride home." But the more I think about it, the more I see that these rides are more than taking people home; they're about treating people with dignity.

Granted, I'm aware that an inebriated person has a tendency to make grandiose statements such as this, but when I hear this same grandiose statement over and over again, I begin to take it seriously and analyze the reasoning behind the compliment.

A Brief Lesson About Human Dignity 

To begin, let's look at the concept of human dignity. A simple definition of the word tells us that dignity is: The state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect. From a societal perspective, a person treated with dignity is dependent upon earning such honor and respect via their achievements or behavior. This is why foolish actions are seen as behavior that's undignified.

Now let's add to this definition Christianity's take on human dignity, which teaches that every single person is worthy of respect and honor and should be treated with dignity, even people that we may feel do not deserve it, like those guilty of foolish behavior and even our enemies. This stems from a fundamental teaching of Christian theology that says every person is created in the image of God, and therefore, every person should be treated as one would treat God--with honor and respect.

This idea of human dignity originating from God's image is what motivates Christan social work, and it's deeply tied to the mission of The Redemption Movement: "To restore lost and hurting people who are valued by God." This is why our church does so much community outreach, like the designated driving ministry.

Showing Dignity In a Very Undignified Society

Now, when we look at human dignity in light of our capitalistic society, it becomes obvious that an institution treating a person solely as a resource, commodity, or means to a financial end, strips the person of their God-given dignity by telling them, "You only have worth if I can profit from you." Any consumer-driven institution, business, or organization is guilty of this to some degree, and sadly, a church that's obsessed with results-oriented programs and professionalism can easily get off message and fall into this trap of only respecting and showing honor to those who can further their goals.

This lack of dignity is especially prevalent in a capitalistic society like America. I think this explains how it's possible for an upstate NY college student to be absolutely blown away by a simple act of kindness. We treat them with the honor and respect deserving of a holy God, despite the fact that they may perpetuate less-than-honorable behavior. It may actually be the case that no one has ever treated them in a truly dignified manner before.

What makes an act of kindness like a free ride extra powerful is the fact that we're showing unmerited favor to people participating in an environment where dignity is difficult, if not impossible to come by--the alcohol-fueled party scene.

Okay, before I expound further on this and critique the party scene and the behavior it celebrates, I feel like I should first mention that when we offer free rides to partygoers, we're totally nonjudemental about it. We'll give a ride and show respect and honor to anyone, no matter how inebriated they are, even if they're being a jerk to us about the whole God thing. Again, this goes back to human dignity originating from God's image instead of one's behavior.

Why You Won't Find the Respect You Deserve At a Party

That being said, here are just a few ways that the bar-hopping party scene lacks dignity (generalizations are obviously being made):

• Bars, restaurants, and cabs treat people as customers to profit from. There's nothing wrong with making a living, but there's something shallow about a relationship based off a transaction.
• Getting drunk shows a lack of respect to one's own body and personhood. From the standpoint of behavior-based dignity, there's nothing dignified about poisoning your body and putting yourself at risk by clouding your judgement. And the whole "your body is a temple thing," that's about God's spirit dwelling inside a person, and this temple idea goes back to finding dignity from being made in God's image. The drunkenness I've seen firsthand from  people downtown I've tried to comfort who have vomited and urinated on themselves isn't funny, it's sad.  
• Drinking buddies only stick around if there's booze, and they're quick to drop you if they meet someone better. I've seen this countless times when giving rides to partygoers feeling jilted after their friends left them behind, causing some serious drama. This is not a new problem; in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son, he tells of the younger brother character who left home with a ton of money and spent it on "wild-living." As soon as he ran out of money, his "friends" were nowhere to be found.
• In the hookup culture, people are treated like sexual objects that are disposable, instead of being fully honored by a committed mate. Participants of casual sex act like nothing is wrong about it. They're proud of their sexual conquests, claiming that it's part of their sexual identity. I believe that, eventually, the pain and heartbreak that accompanies a lifestyle of being used and abused by multiple partners will break through, causing one to long for a partner that shows them dignity by fully respecting them for who they are, instead of only for what their body can offer. 
• Many students feel like the entire community of Oneonta sees them only as a way to make money. As I drive students home and insist that the ride is free, many are blown away by the gesture because they feel like the city and its residents are trying to squeeze them for every nickel they have. Oneonta's young adults are hungry for a community where they feel valued and accepted for who they are, not for how much money they can cough up.

Would You Like a Free Ride Home? 

Now put yourself in the middle of this nightlife environment: You're with your flaky friends going from bar to bar being pressured to buy drinks. You've been hit on by some scummy people and you're feeling sick from drinking too much. Meanwhile, half your friends ditched you and you're considering going home with a stranger. All the while, you're frustrated that you're still living in this small town because you feel like nobody here appreciates the skills and passions you have to offer.

At 2AM, you step outside the bar and see an odd sight: Two guys wearing matching blazers holding a sign that reads "Act of Kindness, FREE RIDE, Don't Drink & Drive."

"What is this? No way. This can't be free. Nothing is free. Who would do such a thing? Why? What's the catch?"

Curiosity gets the best of you and you approach the duo standing in front of the clean blue car with a handmade "Free Ride" sign on the door and tap light on the roof. You ask them twenty questions and they assure you that's it's really free and that they're just trying to help people. You're on the fence about it until a random student walks by, high fives the guy holding the sign, and then emphatically tells you, "This guy is legit, he gave me a ride last week!" (This happens quite a bit)

You cautiously get in the backseat of the car with your cell phone at the ready, just in case. The driver says "Where to?" You tell him, he replies, "Not a problem," and pulls onto Main Street. That's when you spot a sign in the car pointing to a backseat pocket stocked full of free bottled water. You're thirsty, so ask if it's okay to have one. You're told to help yourself and you do, after making sure that the seal isn't broken.

As the ride continues, you learn that the driver is the pastor of a local church, this is his personal car, and he and his friend are volunteering their time to "show people God's love." On top of that, the driver won't stop asking you questions about yourself, "Where are you from?" "What's your major?" "What are your plans for after you graduate?" "What do you think about Oneonta?" It's like the guy genuinely cares about you, and it's obviously not in a sexual way or anything like that because he won't shut up about his family.

You think to yourself, "What's going on here? Why's he being so nice? Does he actually care about me? Why is he being so respectful of me when he doesn't even know me? Isn't he a religious person? Shouldn't he hate me for being such a 'bad person' according to all of his stupid religious rules?"

This is all too much so you offer to pay him. He refuses. You flash a dollar bill and insist, but he turns your money down a second time and goes on a bit more about God's love and insists that the ride is free "because God's love is free."

Then it hits you. It's such an epiphany that you can't help but speak it aloud, "Wow, this is the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me."

A few miles later, you're dropped off at your home safe and sound. You thank the two gentlemen for the ride and walk to your front door with a water bottle in hand, along with what he calls a "kindness card." What a unique experience that was. You're not even bothered by all the drama of the night because it all seems rather silly in light of this act of kindness.

Showing Diginity Changes Hearts

I see this story all the time. It shows the power of a small act of kindness and how treating a person with love, respect, honor, and dignity can cause them to reevaluate what kindness really looks like in the midst of a cynical culture that just doesn't seem to care.

Our church does this outreach for the good people of downtown Onenta as often as we can. We're closing in on 500 free rides given at the time of this writing. Check out our designated driving page to read a report about every one of our DD outings, and join the Oneonta Designated Driving Crew on Facebook to help serve the community with free rides.

-Kaler      

What We Believe

The Bible

We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God. To summarize the Bible, it is a special revelation of the character of God and His plan to redeem the world through Jesus Christ. The original writings were inerrant, infallible, and God breathed. God has purposed the Bible to be the final authority for faith and life, and He has overseen the events of history to piece together the canon (the 66 books) as we have it today. The revelation of the Bible is complete and no other teachings are to share in the same authority.

2Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; Psalms 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 14:37

The Triune God

We believe in one God who has revealed Himself in three eternally existing persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit co-eternal in being and in nature, co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections.

Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2; John 1:1-4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19

God the Father

We believe God the Father is uncreated, eternal in nature, unchanging, and the Creator of all things, both seen and unseen. He is omnipotent (He has all power and authority), omnipresent (fully present everywhere), and omniscient (all knowing). God is Holy (all good) and He is over all creation as well as involved personally in the lives of every person and all events. God reveals himself to every person through His creation and peoples’ consciences, and He has specially revealed Himself through His Word and His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus and the Holy Spirit share equally in these attributes, and are both in submission to God the Father.

Romans 1:20; Isaiah 6:3; Psalms 19:1-4; 90:2; 139:7-10; Revelation 1:8; Deuteronomy 10:14

Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, uncreated, eternal and co-equal with the Father. Being obedient to the Father, Jesus temporarily set aside His divine glory and fully took on human flesh, while at the same time remaining fully God. Jesus did this with the purpose of sacrificing his life as an act of final atonement for the sins of man, making forgiveness and citizenship into God’s Kingdom possible through belief and submission unto his Lordship.

Jesus was born of Mary, a virgin birth, conceived by the Holy Spirit. He spent his life ministering to people, preaching the Kingdom of God, fulfilling the Old Testament prophesies regarding the Jewish Messiah, and discipeling the believers who would make up His church.

He was crucified on a cross after being condemned by the Jewish and Roman authorities. After three days he rose bodily from the dead, appeared to his disciples and ascended into heaven where he is now exalted at the right hand of God.

Jesus currently ministers as our high priest before God as our representative, intercessor, and advocate.

Luke 1:35; Romans 3:22-26; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 7:25-26; Luke 24

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is a person of the God-head and as such, is co-equal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that he is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit ministers to the church today, continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ. He empowers believers to minister the Gospel, and bestows spiritual gifts to the church for the purpose of edification and evangelism. These supernatural giftings and the personal experiences a believer has with the Holy Spirit are always consistent with the testimony of Scripture.

John 3:5-18; 16:5-15; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 14:12, 26; Acts 1:5; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18;

The Church

We believe the church is universal (made up of all believers from every age), and local. The church is established by Jesus and he relates to the church similar to how a loving husband relates to his wife. Jesus is the head of the church, and as such He is actively involved in the churches ministry, including the establishment of a leadership structure with the offices prescribed in the New Testament, and discipline within the church; also, as the body of Christ, the church is to be Jesus’ representative on Earth until his physical return, this includes the responsibility of making Christ known.

The church is composed of those who believe in Christ, and offers believers a community for discipleship, prayer, worship, evangelism, and fellowship. Specific ministries to be administered by the church, which are prescribed by the Bible, are the Lord’s supper and water baptism. Participation in, and submission to a local church is an essential component of a believers faith.

Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-13; 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Acts 2:42-47; Matthew 18:15-20

Sin

We believe mankind and all of creation were originally created by God as good, man was made special in the likeness and image of God. Due to Adams sin, and because we are all descendants of Adam, every person is born with a sinful nature that separates them from God, who is holy and perfect in nature. This sin nature makes it impossible for a person to relate to God on a one’s own strength, will, and merits. The original sin was so severe that is also affected all of creation.

Genesis 1:26-27; 3:1-19; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12, 18-19; 8:8; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12; James 2:10-11

Salvation

We believe salvation is a gift from God, made available to every person, “whosever believes.” Each member of the Godhead has a part in a persons salvation. The Father predestined those who would be saved and sent Jesus his only Son, Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross to pay the price of salvation and intercedes to the Father on the believers behalf, and the Holy Spirit convicts a sinners heart of the truth and regenerates and baptizes them into the body of Christ upon belief in Jesus’ Lordship. Salvation is possible because the atonement sacrifice of Jesus’ blood satisfies the wrath of God, which is the penalty of sin from a Holy God. Receiving salvation justifies a believer before God, because now a person stands before God taking on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Repentance of one’s own sins must take place before a person receives salvation. A persons decision to repent and believe, and God’s role of predestination, work miraculously and mysteriously together for salvation to take place.

Ephesians 1:4-7; John 1:12-13; 3:16-18; 1 Peter 1:18-21; Galatians 2:20; Acts 20:21; 2 Corinthians 7:10

Christian Living

We believe that after the event of salvation, the redeemed believer is kept by God’s power through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and thus the new believer has security and assurance in their salvation. This assurance stems from a persons new spiritual position found in Christ Jesus. A believer’s new standing before God should become ones new life identity and should therefore effect every attitude and decision one makes. This new identity should produce a life that looks completely different from a believer’s old life, as if one was born again. God is actively involved in the life of a believer, making salvation out to be a process. This process is called sanctification: where the Holy Spirit continually works in a persons life to shape them more and more into the image of Christ, up until the point of death where they will be free from the influences of sin.

A believer will still battle with sin and the flesh, and therefore must live a life of repentance, and submission to God. Concerning the hardships and struggles of life, God has promised to keep and never leave or forsake his children, and therefore a believer with authentic faith can endure all trials and temptations with God’s help. The believers responsibility therefore, is not to analyze the authenticity of everyone's salvation, but to instead live out their own faith by trusting God.

Christian living means always living in tension. This tension is found between the command to be called out from the world and live holy lives, and the command to go out and be a witness to the world in which one lives. Living out either extreme can produce a life of legalism, or a life that is subject to the desires of the flesh, both of these ways are contrary to the Gospel. Guidance on living out the tension of the Christian life within culture can be found in the church, in relationships with others who are also living the same tension, and the Bible.

Romans 8:1; 1 John 3:2; 1 Peter 1:22-23; John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1,38-39; James 4:4

The Return

We believe Jesus has promised to physically return to earth to establish His kingdom, and His return is immanent. When Christ returns, He will come in great power and authority along with all of Heaven, and the believers will be physically transformed to take part in this new Kingdom. A universal resurrection of all people will take place, where people will stand judgment before Jesus, which will result in “every knee bowing” before the Lord; and sin, evil, and Satan will be eliminated, making possible a new creation with a new heaven and a new earth where Jesus will reign as King.

Psalms 72:8-14; Matthew 24:27-51; 1 Corinthians 15:23-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:4; Revelation 21-22