Christian Living

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A few months back, a friend mentioned that he hoped he wouldn't get a speeding ticket that day as he drove his work route.

Hmmmmm.

"Well," I replied, "you won't get a ticket if you don't speed. Seems pretty simple to me."

There. We were only 10 seconds into the game, and I had already played my trump card. Man, I love it when I can squash the competition so quickly and easily.

"Yeah, but the police don't ticket you unless you're going at least 10 miles per hour over the limit. So I can safely do 75 on the highway, but I need to watch out that I don't creep up any higher."

I was dumfounded. I thought I had my friend pinned, but somehow, he squirmed out of the hold and was still in the match. That meant it was time for trump card number two.

"The speed limit is 65. Even if the police don't ticket you at 68 or 72, you're still breaking the law." So there.

I won't bore you with all the details of the back and forth we went through that day. Needless to say, despite my obvious superior moral position, I failed to convince my friend that he was wrong, I was right, and never the twain shall meet.

Fast forward to this morning. I'm on my way to work, cruising along with my speedometer right on 55 mph (although the needle runs a little high), a blue Mustang in my rearview mirror ready to play bumper tag with me, and a long line of traffic (why on earth are all these people in such a rush to get TO work?) building up behind me. And all this got me thinking.

Despite the strict limit set for any particular road, the police often show us some grace. Maybe it's because they realize our speedometers aren't anywhere near as accurate as those in the police cruisers. Maybe it's because they, like us, are human, and they know that we tend to be impatient every now and then. Whatever the reason, they often show us some grace and don't give us the ticket we so richly deserve.

And isn't that how it is with God? He gives us grace - unmerited favor - despite all the foibles of our everyday lives.

We mess up, He turns on the flashing blues (a little thing called conscience), we look sheepishly up at Him and say, "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have. Please forgive me ... again." And He does.

God sends us circumstances so we may learn eternal truths. The grace the police officer may show us is nothing compared to the great grace God has bestowed upon us.

But it is a foreshadowing, an earthly reminder of how our heavenly Father cares for us.

At the same time, these lessons teach us how to live in the here and now. Speed limits are put in place to help us by making our roads as safe as possible ("The authorities are sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for you will be punished," Romans 13:4).

Likewise, the apostle Paul posed this question (slightly paraphrased!): "Well then, should we keep on speeding so that the police can show us more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! Since we have died to speeding, how can we continue to live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2).

So be forewarned: Don't expect me to speed up beyond the posted limit as you ride my bumper to and from work each day. I don't want to give the police the opportunity to show me some grace ... or not.

(Bill Dolack can be reached at [email protected])

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