Salvation

That great philosopher, Charlie Brown of the “Peanuts” car- toons, once made a profound observation that touches on the way we feel about this thing we call “salvation.” Charlie is leaning against a tree talking to Lucy. She asks, “What do you think security is Charlie Brown?” He says, “Security is sleeping in the back seat of a car when you’re a little kid and you’ve been somewhere with your mom and dad and it’s night.

You don’t have to worry about anything. Your mom and dad are in Satan 299 the front seat and they’re doing all the worrying. They take care of everything.” Lucy smiles and says, “That’s real neat.”

Charlie Brown, who never seems to know when to stop, gets a serious look on his face and says, “But it doesn’t last. Suddenly you’re grown up and it can never be that way again. Suddenly it’s all over and you’ll never get to sleep in the back seat again. Never!”

Lucy gets a frightened look on her face and asks, “Never?” And Charlie Brown replies, “Never!” As they stand there, sensing the terrible loneliness that goes with being an adult, Lucy reaches over and says, “Hold my hand, Charlie Brown.”