CLICK IT OR TICKET
On a recent trip to the new Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, I kept noticing digital display signs on the interstate with the words Click it or Ticket. After a number of these, I was wondering what that meant, because up until then I had not read anything about this, until I returned back to Farmington and found an enlightening article about this new government safety program.
My enlightenment increases the next morning, when I had left my dentist and was short cutting through to Wal-Mart. Since this was a short distance, I convinced myself that I didn’t need to put on my seat belt. What a surprise when I entered onto a side street and advanced into a convoy of police cars that were stopping cars from both directions. The officer in a business like manner said, “We are promoting the Click it or ticket campaign and since you don’t have on your belt please pull over into the lot over there where an officer will explain your offense.”
My next surprise was that the officer was one of many that attend our church. He began with, “Dr. Loveless, I hate giving you this ticket, but this is the law!” “Don’t feel bad, I am guilty,”I responded. After which he told me where to go to pay the ticket.
Feeling a little sheepish about the whole thing, I drove into the City Hall parking lot, and then walked down the long hallway, which parallels the courtroom, then to the window where I presented my last ten dollar bill. Now my next surprise came as the clerk, a gracious lady, looked at my ticket and read my name with this conclusion. “Aren’t you the fellow who writes those religious human interest stories in the Farmington Press”? Blushing, I weakly said, “Yes, I am.” She then said, “I just love to read your stories.”
As I departed, my embarrassments of the day and seeing the courtroom disappear behind me, were nearly gone. I related this to the fact that I was able to pay the fine, and the facing of this matter with friends, was a lot easier than a sentence we all owe as we stand before a holy God, whose laws are much greater than those of men. My money cannot pay the price, or the good words of my friends. The Bible is full of verses that let us know that we owe a debt that we cannot pay.
Titus 3:5
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
Only Christ can pay the redemption for a world that has broken the law of God. However, He loves us and has provided our way of escape.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Now when I board my car – I click it! As for the other. I took care of that years ago as I gave my life to the greatest judge of all who said, “I forgive.”
On a recent trip to the new Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, I kept noticing digital display signs on the interstate with the words Click it or Ticket. After a number of these, I was wondering what that meant, because up until then I had not read anything about this, until I returned back to Farmington and found an enlightening article about this new government safety program.
My enlightenment increases the next morning, when I had left my dentist and was short cutting through to Wal-Mart. Since this was a short distance, I convinced myself that I didn’t need to put on my seat belt. What a surprise when I entered onto a side street and advanced into a convoy of police cars that were stopping cars from both directions. The officer in a business like manner said, “We are promoting the Click it or ticket campaign and since you don’t have on your belt please pull over into the lot over there where an officer will explain your offense.”
My next surprise was that the officer was one of many that attend our church. He began with, “Dr. Loveless, I hate giving you this ticket, but this is the law!” “Don’t feel bad, I am guilty,”I responded. After which he told me where to go to pay the ticket.
Feeling a little sheepish about the whole thing, I drove into the City Hall parking lot, and then walked down the long hallway, which parallels the courtroom, then to the window where I presented my last ten dollar bill. Now my next surprise came as the clerk, a gracious lady, looked at my ticket and read my name with this conclusion. “Aren’t you the fellow who writes those religious human interest stories in the Farmington Press”? Blushing, I weakly said, “Yes, I am.” She then said, “I just love to read your stories.”
As I departed, my embarrassments of the day and seeing the courtroom disappear behind me, were nearly gone. I related this to the fact that I was able to pay the fine, and the facing of this matter with friends, was a lot easier than a sentence we all owe as we stand before a holy God, whose laws are much greater than those of men. My money cannot pay the price, or the good words of my friends. The Bible is full of verses that let us know that we owe a debt that we cannot pay.
Titus 3:5
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”
Only Christ can pay the redemption for a world that has broken the law of God. However, He loves us and has provided our way of escape.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Now when I board my car – I click it! As for the other. I took care of that years ago as I gave my life to the greatest judge of all who said, “I forgive.”
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