By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
Every August in Abilene, Kansas, they held a parade all through town leading to the fairgrounds. It was a highlight to attend that parade and to see the floats, the new farm machinery, the clowns, the high school marching bands, and even the dignitaries who rode the parade route. Everyone in the parade was on their best behavior, touting whatever organization they were with. They would hand out flyers and treats, all designed to help you remember them and the services they offered.
The Seahawk parade serves a different purpose. It serves to highlight the winners of the Super Bowl. Up to one million people watched and cheered for their team. They showed their appreciation for the team and their hard work getting to the winner’s circle. The main feature of the parade is getting to see the team riding down the street, trophy in hand, so they could cheer them on.
One thing is the same between those two parades. The people in the parade are people that you remember. Yes, even the ones who gave you a lollipop at the little country parade. They are people who somehow made an impact on your life, even if just for a moment.
2 Corinthians 2:14 talks about a parade as well, helping people remember:
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” (NKJV) Notice the parade. It is a victory parade, with Christ at the head leading His followers in triumph through life.
Christ leading His team. Christ leading victorious people.
Notice, however, the second part of the text. The victory parade is designed for those in the parade to be sharing the wonderful fragrance of the knowledge of God in every place. The victorious parade of Christ is not following a specific route. It is every place that there is a Christ follower. Every place you go as a victorious Christian is a victory parade designed to share the sweet message of the knowledge of Jesus.
So parade through your streets with the victory of Jesus, pointing people to Him so they will have a knowledge of Him.