Last night,as I was coming home from Salina (our nearest big town). I headed up I-135 as always toward I-70. As I approached the exit, lots of orange objects guided me to move to the left lane. I looked over to the side to see the notice flashing at me I-70W, ROAD CLOSED. Sure enough at the exit, another sign said, “Exit closed.” I looked at Jaimee and said, “And there is not even a detour or anything.” And so after a little while, not knowing when if ever I would again see I-70W, I made a u-turn at on of the crossover paths.
You have probably guessed the end, flashing lights, a brown piece of paper, a $96 fine, and a court date.
To make a long story short (too late), after making the policeman take me back and show me the marked detour (which I barely noticed while looking hard for it) and discussing it with him, I asked him this question, “Sir, is this why you really got into law enforcement?” After a moment He said, “Yes, to enforce the law.”
And I always thought police were there to protect and to serve, like all of their uniforms and badges confess. I thought enforcing laws was only a means to those ends. But apparently, enforcing laws has become an end in itself.
After cooling down for about 24 hours, I began to wonder. Is this a reason many shutter at the thought of God? Do they think that God is looking to enforce the law just for the sake of enforcing them? I admit that I could not blame them if they get this idea of the Christian God as Christians seem to only get passionate and visible when some law is broken or when the ten commandments are being taken down.
God though is there to protect and to serve. Yes, he enforces the law at times so that he can protect others from us or serve our best interests. But God is not about enforcing the law for the sake of enforcing the law. The Law of God is always for our ultimate good. When the Sabbath law seemed to say rigidly that noone could do any work on that day, Jesus chose not to enforce that Law because it didn’t serve or protect the sick people before him. Enforcing the law is the means to the end, protecting and serving, the ends. May we make this clear to our world when we speak about God and particularly when we speak about the Law. God is not looking for a reason to punish, but a way to save.
Phil,
You weren’t wearing your priestly collar? I bet that could have gotten you out of a $96 fine. 🙂
Phil,
Did you not tell them that you were the chaplain for the Ellsworth Volunteer Fire Department? I mean, really, you are part of the brotherhood now.
Oh by the way….you don’t even want to know what that $96 could have got you at Ollies. I’ll tell you what…i will have a matching grant for myself…for every dollar you spend on your ticket, I will spend a dollar for myself at Ollies…sound good?
Okay, if we were just going to mock me, I would have just told the whole story, like when I reminded the cop that I didn’t have a fancy flashlight on my car like he did to point out the signs for me.
I did make an analogy, did anyone notice that?
With friends like these….(J/K, I would have done the same only worse)
Phil,
You made an analogy? I’m sorry I was laughing so hard at the $96 fine that i missed everything else.
With stories like this….who needs to make analogies? 🙂
Okay, something about Jesus and the law…yeah, great, whatever….but a $96 fine…that’s priceless! 🙂
I quit.