Breaking the Law

I was about twenty years old and had gone out of town one weekend. I was driving home – south on I-65 just north of Mobile. I’d just come off the Dolly Pardon bridge and passed a State Trooper. As I had done many times before, I flashed my headlights at oncoming traffic to warn them a Trooper was ahead. This is bad. Don’t ever flash your headlights to warn someone. Apparently, a great song was playing on the radio because I found myself flashing the lights to the beat of the music. That’s when it happened. I had driven about a mile and a half when I saw him. He walked from the right shoulder of the interstate into the left lane, stopped and raised his arm my direction. I slammed on brakes, skidding and sliding. When he raised his arm, I thought he was pointing a gun. The Trooper motioned me to pull over. Of course, I did. My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking. I almost ran over a cop! The nearly 7-foot, 300 pound Trooper knocked on my window. He asked for my license and stepped to the back of my truck. Actually, my dad’s truck. He walked back to his vehicle and stayed and stayed and stayed. It seemed like an hour before he returned.

All he said was, “Mr. Grizzle, will you please step out of your vehicle and into mine?”

HOLY CRAP! I was in the back seat of a Trooper’s car. Not a good way to start your day! His partner was talking on the radio and filling out some forms.

The officer said, “Did you know you are driving a vehicle with defaulty equipment?”

My response, “Huh?”

“Your vehicle has defaulty equipment.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your headlights are malfunctioning. I saw them flashing on and off. That’s very dangerous, you know.”

“There’s nothing wrong with them, officer. I was …. “

“You need to have the electrical system checked.”

I finally figured it out. Apparently, you can get a ticket for driving a vehicle that is unsafe. I also found out I was speeding and driving a truck with an expired tag. Three big strikes. Remember, it was my dad’s truck. Wonder who forgot to get the tag renewed? Oh yeah, one more thing. I had left my wallet at home that weekend so guess who didn’t have a driver’s license? I knew I was in trouble when the officer said, “You have no identification, you’re speeding, and driving an unsafe vehicle with defaulty equipment and an expired tag.”

This is why some people smoke crack! My response to his next question was shocking. He said, “Are you going to slow down and stop speeding?”

I shrugged, “probably not.”

“WHAT!”

“Officer, the reality is that as soon as I leave I’ll go right back to driving 80. The law can’t change my actions.”

“You’re telling me you’re going to keep speeding?”

“The law can’t change me. Only I can change my actions and the truth is that I’ll probably keep speeding.”

Looking at his partner, the other officer said, “I don’t think he’s talking about speeding any more.”

Jesus came to save us from the law. The law was incomplete because a perfect sacrifice was needed. Jesus fulfilled the law providing freedom from the bondage to sin. Even God’s law can’t change our hearts or actions. It is by His Spirit we are called into a covenant relationship with Him through the renewing work of His death and resurrection.

Wow! The law can’t change us. Only He can!

By the way, I didn’t get a ticket. And just so you know, while traveling all over the United States I have had the privilege of meeting many our finest men and women in uniform. It seems as though they love to introduce themselves to me on the side of the roads. And you shouldn’t flash your headlights to warn others because you might be warning someone who is drunk. At least that’s what the Trooper told me.