My Need for Speed

If you’ve been involved in church for any amount of time, chances are you’ve heard something similar to the following: “God doesn’t want you to come to church every Sunday just to warm a pew. He wants you to be an active participant in the ministries of the church. You’ll be happiest when you’re plugged in somewhere.” (Depending on your personality, this could be true.)

Have you ever zoomed by a car that had just been stopped by a police car? You go through the emotion of sorrow for the person, but thankfulness that it’s not you. (No one wants to be an active participant in a situation like this.)

I hoped it would never happen, but today was what bad dreams are made of. Speeding down one of the major streets in my neighborhood, I was going a lot faster than I should have been. When I whizzed by the out of use church where the policemen was parked, I hoped he hadn’t noticed me.

Luck was not on my side, but the flashing police lights that pulled up in back of me confirmed my nightmare had come true. When the nice policeman stopped me and asked for my driver’s license and proof of insurance, I knew this wasn’t going to be cheap.

When all was said and done, my $112 ticket was proof I had been speeding at 40 miles per hour in a 25 mile residential area. I could either pay the ticket by mail or show up several weeks later at the Gahanna Mayor’s Court to contest a ticket I deserved.

I had not-so-fond memories of the Gahanna Mayor’s Court. Several years ago (in the spring) I’d gone to turn in my family’s city taxes on the second floor of the Gahanna Municipal Building (where the Gahanna Mayor’s Court is located). I parked in a handicap parking spot, and forgot to put my handicap placard up.

Unfortunately, next to this building is the Gahanna Sheriff’s Building. Their office is the one that wrote me up. There was no way to stop the wheels of justice even when the handicap placard was produced.

(Unfortunately, on try number one I produced my wife’s handicap placard and not mine. This did not help my cause.) At the court several weeks later, I was let go with a small fine for the processing of my case. (Not a happy camper for my wasted time.)

Galatians 6:7 (of The Message) says, “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest.” There were many times I was stopped for speeding by a police officer. On all those times, I’d received warnings instead of tickets. Maybe a ticket would have reminded me to control how fast I was driving. God tells us to obey the laws of the land (Romans 13:3-5). When we don’t, we are “mocking” (or disobeying) Him.  (That’s the truth.)

Irritating stuff happens in life. Will you play by the rules when stuff like this happens? Will your angry attitude allow you to admit when you are wrong?   Do you erupt like a volcano when you are accused of being wrong (or are you calm)? People that are constantly irrational and angry are often at a loss for friends. (Few individuals want to be around someone like that.) You are in control of the path your life takes. Your existence is up to you. Make the right change just because you can.