from Issue #1, April 2016, page # 32
by: Rushin Mennonite
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. — Romans 13:4a
It all started with the alarm ringing at 3:30 in the morning. I knew I had a full day ahead of me. I had farm chores to do in the morning and then an appointment with my young deaf son’s audiologist about two hours away. I knew time would be tight to make it to our appointment on time.
It all started with the alarm ringing at 3:30 in the morning. I knew I had a full day ahead of me. I had farm chores to do in the morning and then an appointment with my young deaf son’s audiologist about two hours away. I knew time would be tight to make it to our appointment on time.
I finished the chores, ran to the house, got cleaned up, and jumped in the vehicle. As I pulled out of the driveway at 7:30 a.m. I told myself, “I should have plenty of time now to make my 10:00 a.m. appointment. There is no need to rush.”
As I was driving along enjoying the beautiful morning, my mind wandered off in 100 different directions. This is nothing unusual. The country road was straight and had no traffic. Around 9:00 a.m. I realized I was getting tired. In my drowsiness, I paid absolutely no attention to my speed.
I rolled merrily along a ten-mile stretch of road with absolutely no curves and no other vehicles traveling on it. Suddenly, I came wide awake. I entered a school zone, came up behind another vehicle, looked down at my speedometer, and saw a police officer coming toward me, all in the same instant. I saw the officer turn around and immediately I pulled over.
As I went for my wallet to dig out my driver’s license, I groaned. In my flurry to get away in the morning, I had forgotten to get my billfold. My situation was compounding rapidly. This was not the first time I ever got pulled over for speeding, but I knew down deep in my rapidly accelerating heart, this was the first time I was going to get a ticket.
As the officer came to my window, he had every right to be disturbed. He issued two tickets, one for not having a driver’s license and a super-speed ticket for being way over 20 miles per hour above the posted speed limit. In fact, he told me, “If you didn’t have your five-year-old son along, I would take you in to the police station.”
The officer finished up his paperwork and brought it to my window. As he handed me the tickets, I casually remarked, “I guess there is a first time for everything.”
He looked at me funny and said, “Is this the first ticket you ever got?” I nodded. After that he seemed somewhat apologetic and said, “Be sure to show up at the court date. I am sure we can do something to help you with the tickets.” And I needed help. The two tickets he handed me amounted to an $1800 fine.
You can be sure I drove cautiously and carefully the rest of the way to the ear doctor. We were a few minutes late, but things went okay and in due time we were again on the road home. My morning lesson being still fresh on my mind, I diligently observed all speed limits.
So I was not unduly worried when passing through a small town, I observed a police car sitting in front of a local post office. I drove slowly through town, and then began speeding back up to 55 miles per hour. Then I looked in my rear-view mirror. I could not believe it — blue lights again! This time, I called my wife to get the number on my driver’s license.
The officer had an awful time looking things up because of his misspelling. Everything took a long time. I was respectful on the outside, but inside I was standing straight up. I fumed to myself. “I do not deserve this. He clocked me from behind and charged me with going 56 mph in a 35 mph zone — more than 20 mph over the posted limit and subject to the reckless driving charge. They just have a speed-trap going on in this little town.”
The officer handed me a ticket for $350 and departed. Once more I was on my way home with a lot of strange thoughts going through my head. It seemed there was no other possible outcome to this day than that I would lose my driver’s license. How would I explain to everyone why my wife had to drive me to church? And the fines. They hurt.
Practical Questions:
What should Brother Rushin do?
- Mail the money in to the court and learn a lesson.
- Hire a lawyer to plead his case for him.
- Appear in court and defend himself.
- Appear in court and plead for mercy.
- Make a statement before the church so everyone understands.
- Pray to God for forgiveness.
- Pray God will bless the police officers and magistrates
#5, #6, #7 and simply show up to court and plead guilty as is true in all sincerity and honesty and receive due punishment as levied by the court. Just as Jesus did (although he didn’t sin)…
I would go ahead and pay the fines so I wouldn’t have to go to court and do steps #5, #6, and #7. If you don’t have the money, then you may need to go to court.