Have you read that story about the "tortoise and the hare" race? It just doesn't make sense for a slow car and a fast car to be together in the same lane, in the same pathway, in the same road, in the same freeway....
"Okay, you wouldn't let me and the car behind me pass you up, then I will, " as more smokes came out of my nostrils. As I moved up ahead and had gotten so close to that car's bumper, I slowly merged into the third lane from the fourth lane. The car behind me turned on his spotlight and started flashing his strobe of red lights up on top of that car. My speed went back down similar to that tortoise's pace until my car completely stopped on the emergency side of the road.
How come our mouths don't close on its own if we are giving the lamest excuse?
Me: "Sorry officer. I needed to use the bathroom."
Officer: "Really? You had passed by 2 places where you could have gone. License and registration please?"
Me: Fumbling as I opened the glove compartment to look for the registration card, my backpack Bible stuck out from the upper compartment, gave him my license first.
Officer: How long have you been in this address?
Me: In the area, for 16 years, in my residence, for 6 years.
Officer: "Hmm..I live down the street from where you live."
Me: "waiting for the ticket to be written up now, stay "muted", turned red and heard my own"gulp."
Officer: "Tell you what, you may go but I just wanted to let you know that it was dangerous what you just did." "Be safe always."
Me: redder and stuttering, "I don't know what to tell you but thank you. I just want to be home now."
My husband moved and slightly woke up as he heard my tip toeing on the floor in the bedroom. I told him what happened but that I didn't get a ticket. Not sure if the reason was the officer was wondering if I was a Christian [seeing the Bible] or the nature of my husband and my work that I didn't get the ticket [No! Don't get me wrong! I don't mean for both to be my privilege at that time.]. I kissed him good night. "Daddy, I'm sorry."
As I laid down, I knew I needed to apologize to my Spiritual Daddy, too. He started speaking to my heart:
Me: "Daddy, thank You. Thank You that with my foolish actions, no one got hurt."
Dad: "Have you forgotten what I told you through your brother Paul, that your attitude should be like Mine?" [Philippians 2:5].
Me: "Yes, Daddy. I'm sorry. But that officer didn't give me a ticket. I'm not sure if it was because he saw the Bible and thought of me being Your child?"
Dad: "Yeah. I saw that. Doesn't mean anything that you are My child so he didn't give you a ticket. But I always remind you all, My children, not to keep on sinning after you came to know Me. Have you forgotten that when you became a Christian, you were baptized to become one with Me? For you died and were buried with Me in baptism." [Romans 6:1-4].
Me: "I'm sorry, Daddy. I love you. Good night."
Lord: "Good night, My child. Always remember to be slow to anger like Me [Psalm 103:8]. I had loved you first [1 John 4:19]. Just because My grace had set you free, doesn't mean you can go on sinning [Romans 6:15]. Since you are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, strip off every weight that slows you down, specially the sin that so easily hinders your progress. Run with endurance the race that I had set from start to finish [Hebrews 12:1,2]. Like what the officer told you, just BE SAFE! so you can get home okay."
Readers, this is a hard thing for me to post knowing that my actions last night didn't glorify the Lord. But I must for His glory. There are so many great Christian writers/speakers, but how true are you in putting the words that you write or the words you say into your actions? We are representing Christ so we must be safe, be slow to anger and really take it seriously that we must finish the race He marked for each of us, from start to finish. I'm not proud of my actions at all! Because I forgot that I am Christ's ambassador that people around are watching.
But I'm glad that our God is "faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from every wrong" when we confess our wrongs! [1John 1:9].
The moral story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!!! God bless to you all. Glory to God!
