On a busy highway, a white Lexus cruised along at the set speed limit of 45 mph. Even though the driver is running late, she continues on at the seemingly snail’s pace. Other vehicles approach and become way too familiar with her bumper each morning as she makes this daily commute to work. Oft times the drivers of those vehicles can be seen through her rearview mirror shaking their head, throwing their hands up, and many other inventions the drivers have come up with, in an effort to speed the Lexus along. However, the lady in the white Lexus continues to obey the law and drive at the set speed of 45 miles per hour.

 

Many, many times the bumper huggers risk life and limb to pass the law-abiding Lexus. Sometimes on the double yellow line, they pass. Sometimes on the curve, they pass. Sometimes in front of the Baptist Church, they pass. It seems they do not fear God, nor the law, for they even pass right by the posted sign which says, “SPEED LIMIT 45 MPH.” On rainy days, sunny days, and snowy days, they pass.

 

The driver of the Lexus however, continues to obey the law. She is familiar with this highway, of its goings-on you could say. The lady knows how often she has seen the police officers waiting and watching for the speeders to drive by. They often sit at the Baptist Church. She has seen their blue lights flashing as they write tickets often right by the speed limit sign. The commuter driving along at the snail’s pace does not want one of those tickets, so, she continues to obey the posted speed limit signs.

 

However, some days it is hard as she receives all the negative feedback from the speeders. “They think I’m a little ole lady,” she thinks to herself. “Am I a little ole lady?” she asks aloud. As she continues on past the sign to her right with the car speeding past to her left, she points to that speed limit sign. She even honks her horn as she points to the sign. All this to let total strangers who are endangering her life, and theirs, know that she is not a little ole lady, simply a lady obeying the law. “Wait what if they have a gun and shoot me?” she thinks. With that thought, she turns and is joyfully now on the highway where she can travel at a very sensible fifty-five miles per hour.

 

One day someone will probably change the speed limit laws. They will find them useless. Why not let everyone drive at whatever speed they want? If they want to endanger others, so be it. We must be careful not to offend them. Many of these people choose to speed because of a traumatic event in their childhood. They are in a sense running from it, so they drive fast. Many speed because they identify themselves as very fast, not slow, not medium, not average, not normal, but fast. To them fast is their normal. We should not judge them! They have rights just the same as those of us who were born slow! And so the madness continues.

 

There are so many morals to this story. I really can’t decide which direction to go with. Number one in my mind is that being quick to point out other's shortcomings is judging. But, when their shortcomings are endangering us, I think we should honk our horns and makes some noise. My second thought: it is so easy to give in to peer pressure and just go with the flow. Can we ignore the law if everyone else is? Can we ignore God if everyone else is in order to keep the masses happy? But what if we have to break the law (sin) in order to do that?

 

God has His limits set in this world. He did that long ago. Just as all those speeders think they will never get caught, we as His people also seem to think this. Just as people make excuses to the policemen who give the tickets, we also try to make excuses to God. We tell the policeman, “But I was going to be late. But he was on my bumper. But I didn’t see the sign.” Will we tell God, “But, God, everyone else said, there was so much pressure, I was afraid of what they might do to me, I didn’t know…..?”

 

Do we really not see all the signs from God that are bold, and as plain as the nose on our face? Does someone really have to point them out to Christian people who know better? One day soon there will be a new road where we can all travel more freely. We must be careful not to get lost and miss the turn. Keep your eyes open for the signs.