In my courtin’ days with Jackie, North Triplet Lake Drive was a familiar piece of real estate. Jackie’s parents lived on that street. During Christmas vacation and in the summer weeks, between her finishing language school and our wedding day, I spent a lot of time there. Night or day, it didn’t matter, I knew the way, turning off the highway, driving down a busy street to reach the road less traveled where she was waiting. In those days, I also learned I could turn to the right out of their driveway, and follow the curving asphalt that cut between two of the three lakes, and find my way back to the highway and home. Back then, much of that route was still rural, few houses, and at night, very dark.
Three years ago I had a doctor’s appointment down the highway and south of where Jackie’s parents used to live. On the way home, I waxed nostalgic and decided to turn off the highway and drive past their old house. I turned down North Lake Triplet Drive, but urban sprawl and a major facelift to their former residence had erased everything familiar about the area and the house. I missed it! I turned around and followed the route from the other direction. Still, I did not see it. I drove the street a third time. Where was it? I started to doubt that I was even on the right street. Then I drove down the isthmus between the lakes, and saw a shelter covering a bench at the water’s edge; the first recognizable landmark I had seen. How could I forget the place where, at thirty years old, I got my first kiss, ever! It was definitely the right street!
However, sentimentality had soured like socks hung out to dry during gloomy days of incessant rain. They might eventually dry and I could wear them, but they would stink! Likewise, I was sure I could find the house if I drove the street again, but any fondness for days long ago vanished on my third attempt. Frustrated, I gave up and drove towards home.
North Lake Triplet Drive tee boned into Dog Track Road. Four decades ago that area was largely undeveloped, too. Across from the intersections was property owned by the county. It was surrounded by a high chain link fence with barbed wire on top. I remembered the enclosure was there because after Jackie and I got married I learned she had a yellow Yield road sign in her possession. I did not know how she got it, but knew it really belonged to the county, the city, or the State. One dark Sunday night, on our way home to Sanford from her parent’s house, I stopped the car and threw the sign over the fence, returning it to its rightful owner.
All that was gone, now, and in its place was a large strip mall across a wide avenue swarming with cars. I knew I wanted to turn left, but a long line of vehicles was backed up from the red light at an intersection that did not exist forty years ago. There were no spaces between cars for me to cut into even if a break appeared in oncoming traffic giving me a chance to scoot across and get in line. I decided to turn right, find a place to turn around and join the tail end of the column.
In doing so, I missed the sign! Forthwith, I saw a place to turn around and turned left into the back entrance of the strip mall. I did it full sight of a police cruiser lying in wait for a speeding car. Mr. Policeman did not catch a speeder, but he caught me! Immediately, I saw flashing blue lights in my rearview mirror, tailgating me, as I drove slowly down the lane looking for a place to turn around and get back on the road.
I stopped my pickup not knowing what I had done wrong. In the side mirror, I watched the officer walk towards me. I dug my driver’s license from my wallet. My heart, already in a dark pit, capitulated, allowing foreboding thoughts of a hefty fine start to strangle me. Even my billfold felt thinner in my hand, and the policeman had not yet opened his mouth in judgement!
When he got to my window, he said, “Good afternoon, Sir. How are you doing?”
“I’m lost and confused!” I confessed. I tried to explain how I used to know the area, but four decades of over-development had befuddled my aging mind and I couldn’t find the house I was looking for!
“Do you know why I pulled you over?”
I shook my head.
He pointed across the avenue and said, “See that sign over there? It says ‘No Left Turn!’”
Now, I saw it clearly from my new angle of view, and especially when it was pointed out to me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see it!” I answered truthfully.
Though spoken in truth, it sounded lame, like an excuse made by someone who got caught! The seconds crawled by like a sloth climbing a tree on a cold day in the jungle. Not much movement there! It seemed I waited a long time for the dreaded verdict. Surely, I was going to get a ticket!
Maybe it was the man tears that changed his mind. Most law officers do not know how to deal with a blubbering male basket case. Okay, maybe I was not that distraught, but I felt that way! I was guilty! I broke the law, even if I did not know that I did it, but instead of a $158 ticket, he gave me a written warning!
Relieved, my heart light, I drove to the far side of the parking lot hoping to find the way home. Even more, I wanted to put distance between myself and the scene of my crime, and, especially, the policeman that caught me!
I pulled into the cross street wanting to go left, but this time I saw the sign and turned right as required. I thought I could find my way back to the highway by taking the next left. However, there was no next left, and I ended up driving all over Kingdom Come completely lost for another half hour. In the end, I had to pull over and Map Quest my way home!
I arrived home and sheepishly told Jackie a policeman gave me a warning for doing a forbidden left turn. Acute embarrassment blocked my sharing this story for three years.
I deserved that ticket and many more! Especially in my younger days I drove like Jehu, purposely breaking the speed limit. Back then, someone told me that if I drove over the posted speed limit the Holy Spirit got out of the car. That statement was incorrect doctrinally, the Spirit never leaves us, but I knew the Apostle Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, wrote that we, as believers in Christ, quench or grieve the Spirit of God when we don’t follow His commands or when we disobey the authorities over us (unless, of course, those human laws violate God’s laws)! That truth finally clicked and except when majorly distracted, I slowed down.
I have not been a perfect driver, and have done many things wrong on the road, yet somehow in 53 years of driving I have maintained a perfect record. I have never received a ticket! When I have been pulled over, man tears, being from out of state, being on vacation, maintaining a respectful attitude, or whatever, has kept my record clean. Each time, a benevolent officer has offered me grace and mercy in the form of a warning instead of a costly ticket.
As we walk the road of life we are often lost, confused, and all of us are guilty of breaking God’s commands. He posted signs for us to follow; all of creation Romans 1:20, His word Psalm 119:105, His Son John 1:14, and even programed our hearts to seek him and discern right from wrong Romans 2:15. God wants our final destination to be with Him for eternity. He does not write tickets when we mess up, but He is very generous with the warnings Psalm 103:10. Sadly, we often do not see the signs, or if we do, we choose to ignore them! We do not heed the warnings, either. We are certainly without excuse!
We are all born sinners and as such, we are all headed for judgement Romans 3:23, 6:23. That is what we deserve! However, God is not some sadistic god just waiting for us to mess up so he can send us to Hell. He knows we are already messed up and already on our way to Hell, yet He loves us anyway Ephesians2:5. He made a way for us to escape that punishment by sending Jesus to live a sinless life, a life we could not live. As the Perfect Lamb of God, Christ took our punishment when He died on the cross. He took our sin and in return gave us His righteousness when we put our trust in what He did for us on the cross. Not only that, the Bible says God adopts us into his family. We become His children. Best yet, even though we are not perfect people, when we are covered with the righteousness of Christ, God sees us as perfect Philippians 3:9. God is always just and benevolent to those who call on Him. He always shows grace and mercy to the repentant sinner.
I have a few years left to drive around the country and visit family, friends and places of interest, but the day is coming when I will be deemed too old and decrepit to get behind the wheel. “He is a danger to himself and to others,” They will say, and my license will be pulled. I know that before that day arrives, I could get a ticket and lose my perfect record.
In the spiritual realm, I will mess up time and again before I reach the Pearly Gates. That is because I still have a sin nature. Lord, hasten the day when that will be taken away at your coming! On my best day, I am a just a sinner saved by grace. Jesus gave me his perfect record and that will never be taken away from me. Praise God!
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