CrossWalk

A few years ago a group of religious folks had a fuel consumption awareness campaign going with the thought-provoking slogan "What Would Jesus Drive?" And while it's fun just to think about whether today the Messiah would drive a hybrid, or perhaps a beat-up pick up truck (can't you just picture it...with all disciples all riding in the back? Except James and John of course--they'd be arguing over who gets to ride "shotgun."), or whether, as my friend Amy suggests, Jesus rides the bus, the truth is that most of the time, back in the day, Jesus walked.



That's what I was thinking about today as I walked through downtown Silver Spring with a group from the AIM (Action in Montgomery) strategy team and a representative from the State Highway Administration's Department of Pedestrian Safety. One of AIM's goals is to increase pedestrian safety at several of the most dangerous intersections in downtown Silver Spring by doing things like making sure intersections have crosswalks, that pedestrians have enough time to make it across the street, and ensuring that pedestrians are visable to drivers. It seems like an easy goal to achieve, but since there are three major roads that people use to get into and out of DC that cut through the heart of downtown Silver Spring and tons of pedestrians, too, it isn't as simple as it seems.

As we walked and talked, I looked around and thought about all the people getting places on foot. There were young professionals in their suits and sneakers; moms pushing hot, sleepy kids in strollers; carefree teenagers running across the street; people leaving work, or headed there; people using wheelchairs, and older folks walking with assistance. And I thought about why it was that we, a handful of church folks, were out in the 90 degree heat talking about crosswalks.

The first reason is because a community is made up of people, and when people can get out of their cars (and office buildings and subdivisions and condos) and meet each other on the street that helps build and strengthen our community. But in order to do that they need to feel safe and secure out on those streets.

And the second, and no less important reason, is because--let's face it--most of the people who walk to get places do it because they don't have any other way of getting around. So pedestrian safety is also a justice issue, because everyone deserves to be safe.

And ultimately, we were out there, because that's where Jesus would have been, out on the streets, walking, meeting people in the midst of their comings and goings and loving them. So I felt a little closer to Jesus today--even if I do normally drive an SUV.