License Plates
Today, I was driving home and I saw a car with a license plate of “9N3QTRS.” There was something about that sequence of letters and numbers that felt like it should be understood. Then, it hit me! In the Harry Potter books, the track at Kings Crossing where they caught the train to Hogwarts was 9¾.
“So, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” - Philippians 2:1-4 ESV
I’m a geek so, as you might guess, I read all the Harry Potter books (and have watched all the movies including the three newest preceding movies). In fact, I’ll share that I read all the other books before the last one was released and had to buy the hardcover when it was available. That is a true geek.
The license plate reminded me of a fellow actuarial student that I worked with in Wisconsin. This was long enough ago that personalized license plates were newish. Anyway, this actuarial student got a license plate with “ACTUARY” on it. This caused waves because, being a student, he hadn’t finished his actuarial exams and wasn’t entitled to being called an Actuary yet. Imagine a medical student getting “DOCTOR” as a license plate before he got his MD.
“And he said to them, ‘Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?’ (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’” - Mark 7:18-23
Most states have personalized license plates, but I have never pursued one because first, they are expensive and second, the state has control over what is issued based on subjective criteria. I never wanted to advertise I was a credentialed actuary, for example.
It’s fun to look at someone’s license plate and try to guess what message they are trying to communicate. There is a fixed number of letters and numbers allowed so you have to be creative to communicate more than a short word. Additionally, there is competition for specialized license plates, so yours must be the first and unique request (and approved by the state).
I tried to think of a message to communicate where I am in my faith walk, but was unable to think of something unique that would convey that clearly and would be approved. For example, I might be able to get “CHILD,” but would that communicate that I’m a child of God? I’m guessing that if I requested something more straight forward like “JESUS,” it might not get approved.
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” - Matthew 28:18-20
If you think of a great idea (and don’t want to pursue it yourself), let Patrick know and he’ll get it to me.
