Caught!

My day began as any other Wednesday would.  Get up, shower, devotional time, get dressed for work, prod Joey from bed to get ready for school then out the door with him in tow.  I was on my way to drop him at school driving like I always do, when the stop light turned yellow.  I continued through the light and turned left toward the school.  As soon as the turn began, I heard sirens and saw the flashing lights in my rearview mirror.   “What dummy is this cop going to pull over” was my thought as I pulled to the right and she followed me.  “Am I the dummy?  What did I do wrong?  Why is she pulling me over?”  I couldn’t imagine what I had done to deserve this.  I am the one that always drives 25 MPH in the school zone for the protection of the kids.  I always stop at stop signs, and rarely do I speed.  

 

I was fishing for my license when the officer approached my window and knocked.  I rolled down the window with I’m sure a look of ‘what did I do’ on my face.  She quickly told me, that she didn’t need to see my license.  Instead she reprimanded me for blowing through the red light?  She ended with, “I’m not going to give you a ticket this time.  But I wanted you to know that the time you tried to save by running through the light was just removed by me pulling you over.  Have a good day.”  She then walked away.  

Of course I felt like a child that got caught with her hand in the cookie jar just before dinner.  I got caught breaking a law that I ‘technically’ didn’t break.  When I entered the intersection the light was yellow.  It’s not my fault that it turned red just before I completed my turn.  The cars in front of me were moving too slow.  I continued to justify my actions all the way to work.  How dare she do that to me, and in front of my 15 yr. 11 mo. old son ready to get his license in a month.  I felt like a victim.  What was she doing, sitting and waiting to pull someone over?  Then it hit me... regardless of all my excuses, I was guilty of running a red light.  I was in the intersection when the light turned red.  I had broken the law.

Many times I have tried to justify my actions by technicalities.  I walk as close to the line as I can without getting caught.  Like driving 70 MPH on the Freeway when the speed limit is 65 MPH.  I heard that a CHP will not pull you over unless you are going more than 7 MPH over the speed limit, so that means 70 to 72 MPH is okay, right?  Another justification to my speeding could be, its late and no one is around for miles.  I can continue for hours with all the good reasons why it would be okay for me to speed.  

When it comes to my Christian walk, I can think of many ways to justify my actions as well.  The bible doesn’t address everything directly, so it’s okay right?  I can act one way at work, another at home and another at church.  But... The bible does say, He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out. Proverbs 10:9  I love the verse right before this one too, it says in verse 8, ‘The wise of heart will receive commands, But a babbling fool will be ruined.  Boy I could babble my way through keeping things I shouldn’t, doing things I shouldn’t, saying things I shouldn’t, but I always risk being found out.  Do I want to be found guilty of doing wrong or do I want to walk in integrity and do so securely?  What about you?  Do you walk in integrity or do you pervert your ways with excuses and justifications? 

Lord, we give our babbling ways to you.  Help us to always walk in integrity, whether at home, at work or church.  Let us always receive correction with submission and a willingness to change, so that we can not be found guilty of doing wrong.  Teach us Lord to receive your instruction and follow your ways.  Let Your word be planted in good soil, that we will produce good fruit.  Grant us wisdom, knowledge and mercy.   Amen.