The Ford popular!
How memories come back to you when thinking of, or doing something else as it was for me writing my thoughts on the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. You see, as I was writing about the power produced by the car with the world’s largest petrol engine, I was transported (pun intended!) back to my dad and his car.
That car was a second-hand 1957 Ford Popular, as in the picture above, having three gears and a bone shaking top speed of 61 mph. As it was for many drivers then they had the customary string-backed driving gloves and dad was no exception. In the summer you needed the windows wound down, yes with handles, to let the fresh air in and in the winter not only did you need gloves, but hats, scarves and even big old overcoats to help keep warm from the draughts coming in – such was the air-conditioning!
It was the name of that car that spoke to me and got me thinking – the ‘Popular’. I guess the message was that it was a car that was friendly, desirable and a vehicle suitable for all people, with the inference that it was dependable and reliable.
When Jesus came and carried out His ministry He became very popular with people, see the crowds gathering in Matt 5:1-2 or the teaching to the 5000+, before the miracle of the distribution of the five loaves and two fish. Just think of the crowds cheering as Jesus entered Jerusalem crying out Hosanna. There were the times when Jesus ate with the undesirables and ‘sinners’ who had invited Him to share food with them – Luke 5:27-29. Jesus had become very popular and He could have achieved instant renown by using His power as God’s Son. Instead, He chose the path of servanthood, sacrifice and submission to the Father – Philippians 2:5-11.
His popularity actually grew by the way he shared Himself, taught, lived and loved. After all He rode into Jerusalem on ‘a colt, the foal of a donkey’.
So my thinking is that we all like to be popular, and it’s no bad thing to be a popular person, but …… we need to follow the Master so that others will see Christ living in us. Maybe we can be like Daniel from the Old Testament, who was popular, rose to the top level of government, yet maintained his devotion to God.
Vic, 30/05/2026