On May 5, 2007, I was headed downtown in Indianapolis to watch my brother-in-law run across the finish line of the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. It’s the biggest half-marathon in the country. As I headed back home, I was pulled over and given a speeding ticket heading south on Interstate 65. I was going 71 in a 55. There were several who were pulled over at the same time but the fact that I was "keeping up with traffic" didn’t seem to go over well with the officer at the time.
After that event, I began making it a point to drive the speed limit. It wasn’t easy. To get to work I have to drive interstate 465 and only go 55 miles an hour. Typically, people are driving at least 70 miles an hour or more as they speed down the road on the way to work.
However, as I began driving day after day in the far right lane only going 55 I saw something. I noticed was that there were cars who were angry. They drove up behind me, pulled around me, and gave me nasty looks because I was not moving fast enough. Some others, though, slowed down when they saw me. Realizing that they were going faster than they wanted to, they didn’t pull up behind me but they did slow down. Still others did pull up behind me and followed along at my pace. Apparently, they wanted to drive the speed limit too but were having problems finding another car to drive along beside!
This made me begin to think about my life as a Christian. As a Christian, I am called to make a difference in this world. Jesus said that as His follower, I should become "salt and light" in this world (Matt 5:13-16). Salt because the world needs a preservative. Its dying quickly. Light because it needs its deeds exposed and it needs light to shine upon them in order for others to see.
Therefore, as a Christian, I am supposed to "drive within the speed limit". Driving over the speed limit breaks governmental laws and requires punishment - in my case a speeding ticket. Breaking God's laws requires punishment too. Sin is the breaking of God's laws. Sin itself can simply be defined as "lawlessness" or acting apart from the law. Therefore, just as speeding makes me a lawbreaker in the governments eyes, sinning makes me a lawbreaker in God's.
I am called to live within God's laws. I am supposed to be obedient. When I do, several things happen. First, some are going to be ticked off at me. They are going to drive by me and give me dirty looks. They might even say something or do something. I may experience suffering for my decision to be obedient. Second, some are not going to follow my example but instead allow it to influence their life. They are going to see me and slow down. They are going to realize how fast they are going and not want to break down to the speed limit but nonetheless slow down. Still others are going to see me and want to imitate my life. They are going to begin driving at the speed limit and cruising right behind me, happy that they are now driving within the law. My example matters. It counts. It doesn’t affect all but it will affect some.
My opportunity to speak truth into the lives of others only encourages them to drive the speed limit. As more and more people see my example and begin to mimic it and others, then more and more people begin to follow God's laws and to live within them. Removing all of our speeding tickets is what Jesus came to do. Setting us free from our previous sin and all sin in the future is why we need Jesus. Simply acknowledging that we have broken the law in the past and no longer want to do it in the future is not enough. Claiming that we were simply "keeping up with the traffic" will not convince a traffic cop nor will it convice the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Someone had to take the punishment for our previous wrong decisions. That's why we need Jesus.
All this insight from a speeding ticket. Well, I guess it just shows that God can use all things for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8:28). Thank you, Lord, for the gift of a speeding ticket.
2 comments:
Good posting! I used to travel 465 from south to north every day for work. After a speeding ticket and an accident (which wasn't my fault), I really thought I'd never speed again. However, the lesson I'd learned gradually faded away as I was confronted with being late for work, road construction, etc. I'd encourage you to find a way to remind yourself to slow down after the memory wears off. Also, I always found it a challenge to stay calm and peaceful during rush hour traffic. I found impatience and frustration boiling up inside me every time traffic jerked to a halt or someone cut me off. It is difficult to keep that constantly in check.
The best motivation I have found so far for me to avoid speeding (aside from the obvious of obedience to God) is driving with my baby in the car. I think of that precious, fragile life and how I'd do anything to protect it. I should drive the same way at all times whether or not she's in the car. It's kind of like when someone asks you if you'd behave the same way if Jesus were sitting beside you watching you do and say the things you do. But of course He is always with us, observing every little detail. Nothing is secret from Him.
Three years ago, I also had a frustrating experience with a speeding ticket in Toronto. This was so unfair because I didn't exceed the speed limit. Eventually, I used a reputable and experienced lawyer and so with his help I got rid of this ticket for speeding. Now, I'm more careful when driving!:)
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