It has been 15 years since my wife and I bought a new car. Knowing the odometer on our Chevrolet Suburban would soon hit 150,000 miles, we decided to give serious consideration to a new set of wheels.
Call it a midlife crisis, the perfect time for downsizing or a need for speed, either way, a dandy little, red convertible roadster, with shiny chrome wheels, caught our eyes. We decide to buy it and keep the SUV for family outings. Now when it comes time for mom and dad to hit the highway, the top pushes back, the windows come down and the stereo is cranked to the right.
There is nothing quite like driving down the road with your eyes closed (as a passenger of course), the sun shining on your face and the wind blowing in your hair. OK, in my case, across your bald head. You get the picture; the experience is exhilarating.
A few weekends ago, I decided to take the car to a lunch appointment. Somewhere between the sandwich shop and a traffic light, I made the decision to see what the little roadster had under the hood. The open road cried out to be experienced. In a moment of temporary insanity, I floored it. The tires squealed. The engine roared and fence posts soon became a blur. It felt good. I was not disappointed. My expectations were exceeded. The thrill seeker was satisfied. Satisfied that is until the nice police officer on a motorcycle peeked out from behind the tall Johnson grass with his more than accurate radar gun. So much for living above the law, I was under it.
The officer towered above the side of the vehicle as he asked for my license and registration. I hadn’t had a ticket in nearly 20 years. Something told me my stretch had ended as he peered over his sunglasses and looked at my license. As he returned to his motorcycle to radio headquarters in his shiny helmet and tall leather boots, I felt intimidated and small. When he returned, I was issued a reduced ticket and a warning citation. I barely escaped bankruptcy, but was grateful to walk away paying just under $200 in fines. For seven years, I had traveled this road and not once did I encounter a police officer. The one time I got a case of lead foot, I was apprehended by the long arm of the law.
As I exited the crime scene, I was reminded of how temptation sucks us in and spits us out. Give in and get busted! Sweet turns sour in seconds. We all do well to heed 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” Had I only resisted the urge and taken the exit earlier, I wouldn’t be suffering from life under the law.
