Halted on the Highway
Has going too fast ever landed you in an undesirable place? Probably! I’m in the process of becoming a slower driver, but most of my life I’ve been a notoriously fast driver. As a young man, I was pulled over enough times to fill a glove box full of tickets. I would get pulled over on the worst possible days like the day I was going to propose to Bethany. I guess I was afraid she might wiggle off the hook.
The last time I got pulled over for speeding was Christmas Eve 2016 (see I’m doing better!). After finishing Christmas Eve responsibilities, Bethany and I eagerly gathered the kids and hit Interstate 20 to head home for the holidays. It was late when we started the trip, and my foot got heavier with each passing mile. As we passed through Waskom, TX, just before the Louisiana border, blue and red lights burst through the dark night. We were the only vehicle on the road, so I instantly knew where he was headed.
The children were very small, and this was their first experience finding themselves on the wrong side of the law. I, on the other hand, was well versed. As the kids began to cry, an idea popped into my mind. I turned around at those traumatized faces and said, “kids, you cry with everything you got!” There came forth such a symphony of wailing from that Town and Country Van it drowned out the siren.
As the Texas state trooper approached our van, all that stored up hysteria hit the gentleman as the window dropped. He looked me in the eyes and said, “Son, you’re going a little fast.” And I said, “Yes, sir and my sincere apology, but if you were me wouldn’t you be trying to get there as fast as you could too?”
There was more wailing coming from the back of that van than the night the Queen died. In an unfathomable moment of compassion, the officer said to me, “Yes, son, I guess so. Just be careful and slow down.” It was a Christmas miracle. He let me off with a warning.
That was my last run in with the law. As I sat there contemplating mercy under the continuing cries of the kids, I was reminded that my choices impact the lives of others. That’s the case in every stage of life, but the more we mature, the more we are aware of the correlation.
I didn’t break 70 mph as I closed the remaining gap of Interstate 20. I’ll never forget that moment and the impact it had on me as a father. I was so accustomed to speeding I didn’t stop to consider how my choice may impact others. It’s easy to convince ourselves that personal choices only impact us. Choices rarely play out in a vacuum.
We will all make mistakes, and we will all deal with the mistake of another at some point. God’s grace is readily available and good even in our consequences. I thank God that He uses situations in life to teach us important lessons so we can grow. We will always be in process. But the awareness to see our choices through the lens of another can help us make important strides in living a life that honors Jesus.