Pulled over...

I was driving through Winfield on my way to a volleyball tournament in Burden last Saturday when I happened to spot some pretty red and blue lights flashing in my rearview mirror. I pulled into a business' parking lot and stopped. I knew I hadn't been speeding, so I wondered what I had done that had warrented this intrusion into my busy schedule.

The female officer in the car got out and approached my door. I rolled down the window and tried not to look like a felon on the lam. Not the easiest thing when you're not used to being confronted by the police. Smile, Mike. Be friendly.

I said, "Hello," in my calmest, I'm-not-a-crook voice. She responded with a question: "Did you know you had a headlight out?"

"No," I said with complete honesty. My tone was one of relief I'm sure.

"Can I see your driver's license and proof of insurance?" she asked.

I fished around in my wallet and came up with my license and State Farm I'm-legit card. I handed them over.

Miss I'm-Pulling-You-Over walked back to her car. I saw her talking on her radio asking dispatch to send the SWAT team to back her up. I would've turned my EMS radio on scan and listened in, but I wasn't in Sumner County, so her message to headquarters remained mysterious.

It wasn't long before my new friend got out of her car and walked up to my window again. "I'm issuing you a warning," she said. "It's not going to go on your record or be reported to insurance." Then she added, "I'm not going to cite someone for something they're going to get fixed." There was an ominous feel to that last phrase. "If you don't replace that lamp, I'm coming to get you and lock you up for 50 years," was implied. I thanked her for kindly holding me up and drove on to Burden.

I read the warning later that day. It was really a ticket that wasn't signed. It said that "Within the Corporate Limits of the Above Named City (that's Winfield), County (Cowley) and State (good old Kansas) I (it was implied) Did Then and There, Unlawfully and Willfully Operate a Motor Vehicle with a Headlight Out."

I'll admit to the unlawfully part, suppose, but that willfully they threw in was entirely unnecessary. I didn't mean to break the law. I didn't even know my van was one-eyed.

Ok. I'm thankful that I didn't get a ticket. The court costs alone would've been $70. That's more than a headlight would cost me. (No, I haven't got a new one yet.) Insane!

Conviction from God is kind of the same as a warning from the police. "What you're doing is wrong. Better correct it," he says.

"Thanks. I needed the reminder."

The best thing about God's warning - way better than the cops' - is that he helps fix the problem and he's already paid the price for the infraction. I - eventually - thank him every time he corrects me. He keeps me from getting deeper in sin and really messing my life up.

"Thanks for pulling me over."