Monday, June 24, 2013

Under Construction



Ok.  I admit it.  I got a ticket.  We had made a trip to Arkansas for a funeral in April.  On the return trip to South Carolina through Alabama, I got to see blue lights in my rear view mirror.  Before I could even get my registration and insurance cards, Mr. State Trooper was at my window.  I rolled down the window and told him I was still getting my other information, but he informed me that my driver’s license was enough.  With my driver’s license in hand, Mr. State Trooper returned (nearly at a gallop) to his vehicle.  In no time at all, he returned with my ticket, talked me through the specifics, and returned to his car.  While I was still getting stuff back in order, Mr. State Trooper pulled out and returned to his hiding spot.

Here’s what I haven’t told you.  I was in a construction zone.  I’m not sure what goes through your mind when you read those words: “construction zone”.  I’m guessing that images of orange barrels, orange cones, backhoes, men in hardhats, and single lanes are all swirling around in your mind's eye.  Rest assured that none of these, save a few barrels way to the side, were there.  I was traveling at 74 mph, a very respectable speed for a non-construction zone (some would even say within the spirit of the law for a non-construction zone), but this was still 19 mph over the 55 mph limit for that zone.

On the day of my ticket, I was humbled and convicted of my sin for not obeying the laws of the land (Romans 13).  I even used this opportunity to talk about crime and punishment within a legal system relating it back to our sin in God's legal system, our deserved punishment (Hell), and the pardon available in Jesus.  A few days later I paid my fine and thought that I was done with it.

Fast forward to our summer vacation when we would be traveling through Alabama again.  This trip I purposed to travel the speed limit regardless of the condition of the road.  As I entered Alabama and drove through it I became more and more angry.  Leading up to this video:



Watch it again.  You’ll see one orange barrel on my side of the road (way to the side) and a scattering of orange barrels on the far side for traffic heading the opposite direction.  Other than that, the highway is in tiptop shape.  Also note the vehicles passing me like I’m standing still as I putts along at 50 mph.

Why would it still be marked as a construction zone with a 50 mph speed limit? Take your own guesses.  Maybe the state of Alabama needs more income, I don’t know. 

Just for comparison, here’s a video of another 50 mph speed limit construction zone in Mississippi.  Note the marked difference.


What does this have to do with Clear Thinking Christianity? I’m not exactly sure.  I do know that we are to have good attitudes no matter our circumstances per Philippians 2:14 (please continue to pray for me!) and that we are to obey our laws as long as they don’t contradict God’s laws.  It just seems that there was some injustice (an ever so small injustice, but nonetheless an injustice) served to me on that day back in April.

Maybe I should just take these roads as an allegory for the Christian condition: no matter how good they (we) look, they (we) are always under construction in this life.

I am really interested in your thoughts on this.  Am I right? Am I completely missing it?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You are spot on. These little speed traps are common place in several states..Florida got me with one of theirs.

Bob Yeske