It wasn’t a convenient day to get stopped for speeding.
I was driving home from the pharmacy with a fussy toddler in the back seat. Beside me sat a small paper sack containing bubble-gum flavored amoxicillin—that sweet elixir of hope.
My daughter’s first ear infection was painful for her and exhausting for me. Thankfully the doctor had a clear diagnosis and a promising fix. I just wanted to get home and let the healing begin.
Which is why I wasn’t paying attention to my speedometer. Smokey clocked me cruising 35 in a 25 just three blocks from my house.
I must’ve looked frazzled—as moms of sick kids do—because the officer let me off with a warning. But did you know warnings take just as long to write up as tickets? And my passenger wasn’t getting any happier the longer she sat rear-facing, blinded by flashing lights.
I’m not making excuses. But it’s important to note that my car was flowing with traffic (downhill, just saying) and the other cars were surely driving as fast as I was. What’s the harm in going with the flow? Everybody’s doing it!
Whoa. Hold on a second. If my kids uttered those words, I’d pounce with my mommy claws drawn.
I don’t care if everybody else is doing it! You are a Kopitzke—you are not everybody else! We do things different in this family!
Oh, really.
How about that wildly popular but, admit it, totally raunchy TV show hubby and I watched last night? No harm done. I had my filter on. Mm, hmm.
“…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things,” (Philippians 4:8).
I really want that new dress. It’s not in this month’s budget, but I can charge it and worry about the bill later. Hey, all of America is in debt! Overspending is practically patriotic. I’m boosting the economy!
“Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions,’” (Luke 12:15).
That fellow mom at swimming lessons is super nice. I could invite her to my church moms group, but that might be awkward. I mean, people don’t want to talk about God at the pool, do they? I’ll stick with safer subjects—like sippy cups and hair salons.
“Do you not say, ‘Four months more, and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest,” (John 4:35).
Maybe I’m not so different after all. But I should be.
“. . . Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you,” (Romans 12:1–2, MSG, emphasis mine).
We’re Christians in a messed-up world. We should stick out a little. Not in a weird, look-at-me-I’m-a-nut-job kind of way. Jesus was not a freak. He was magnetic. People were drawn to him. Just imagine—if the world can see his love, compassion, and integrity in us, maybe they’ll want it, too. That’s no insignificant side-effect of living for Christ. Dare I say, it should be our purpose.
That evening, my toddler and I drove (slowly) home with our heads hanging low—hers from the earache and mine from embarrassment. When my husband greeted us in the kitchen and I confessed my brush with the law, I waited for a scolding or a joke. He spoke neither.
“Don’t feel bad, honey.” He took our weary daughter from my arms. “I’ve driven 35 on that street before, too. I guess from now on we’ll both pay better attention.”
Mercy. God gives it to us, and in that moment, my husband chose to pass it along to me. Perhaps that’s the simplest definition of acting like a Christian. I spooned out my daughter’s medicine and thanked God for my family, for amoxicillin, and for teaching me a lesson. No more going with the flow.
Oh, and Lord, speaking of mercy, thanks for dodging that speeding ticket. Who knows? Maybe the cop was a Christian, too.
If this post encouraged you, please pass it on. You might also like No Eat Play-Doh, And Then I Ran Into the Babysitter’s Car, and Life Lessons from a Bird, a Net, and a Scissors.
Linking up with: The Better Mom, Playdates With God, Mommy Moments, The Mom Initiative, Titus 2sdays, Living Well Wednesdays, Grace at Home, and Things I Can’t Say.
Ooooh I love this. I love how you said no more going with the flow. You bless me with your writings!!
Thanks, Ashley! You bless me by reading!
This post speaks directly to a conversation I had with God this morning. Awesomeness!
Ooo, I love it when that happens, Elli, don’t you?
Oh, I love my stop-ins here.. always truth, always hope, always honesty. And never short on conviction. That makes you one amazing writer, friend. Not long ago I got pulled over by those flashing cherry lights on my way home from grabbing the big kids at youth group. The cop leaned in and I said, “Oh, my- I must have been speeding….”
He laughed and said, “No, but it would be wise to turn on your headlights at this time of night!” 🙂 Still had to wait while he ran my license to see if I was a criminal on the run.. running WITH a noisy 12 year old and mopey 14 year old? Maybe running FROM them on some days, but surely a convict doesn’t bring her tweens along on the journey 🙂
Love how God keeps us humble and DRIVES us straight to His heart in the process!
Happy Thanksgiving, Becky!
Alicia, you make me laugh! A wanted no-headlights criminal with two tween sidekicks, I can just picture the whole scene. Thank you for reading and passing along such kind encouragement! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, too!
stopped by from Mommy Moments Blog Hop and I can soo relate to your mom claws!! Oh no you did NOT just say that to me?!?! then there comes a deep sigh and I have to regain my composure!
I hate it when I catch myself doing things I’ve told me kids not to do! bleh!
Thank you so much for posting this!
I’d love for you to stop by and check me out sometime =)
whitneycroy.blogspot.com
Thanks for stopping by, Whitney! I know what you mean – I don’t just catch myself doing things I’ve told my kids not to do; I also see them mirroring my bad behavior. My two-year-old throws things when she’s mad, for example. Hmmm… I don’t think that’s purely instinct. Darn!
Becky, Your devotions are the highlight of my Mondays!! I just love reading them. You have a gift for words. Thank you for sharing it with the world!! 🙂
Gina
Thank you for reading, Gina! Your comment blesses me greatly!
What a loving and wise husband you have! Not all would have responded that way. He obviously knows what is important and he obviously loves you.
This is a great devotional! Thanks for sharing. Glad I found you here.
Yes, I am blessed with a great husband, it’s true. I often remind him what a fantastic wife he has, but for some reason he never finds that quite as funny as I do. 🙂 Thank you for reading!
I had a similar situation a few years back; 2 kids in the back seat, 1 crying uncontrollably, 1 mile from home, 35 in a 25. Pulled over and my youngest stopped crying. Are you kidding me? I was given a warning but like you I learned my lesson. Love following you. You’re words are some of my favorite for this mom’s heart. Blessings!
Megan
Oh, thank you so much, Megan. Your encouragement lifts my spirits today. I can’t believe your youngest stopped crying for the nice officer. I would say that’s funny, but we know it’s really not when you’re in the moment. 🙂 Blessings!
I need this reminder! Too often, I go along with everyone else, failing to remember Christ who paved the way for me to walk according to the Word. Thanks for this encouragement and Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Christina!
And we need to remember this as our kids get older and they tell us that “everyone else can”. My greatest “peer pressure” was from what I was told other CHRISTIAN parents allowed their kids to do. It was exhausting. But God gives strength.
I’m visiting through Titus 2sdays.
Thanks for visiting, Sharon! I can imagine the peer pressure is only beginning for us. Right now it’s what kinds of toys the other kids have. Then before I know it, my daughter will be asking why her friends get their own cars and she has to borrow Dad’s. Yet another reminder to enjoy each stage!
I laughed and related to everyone of your anecdotal examples. What’s a little speeding, credit charging, safe-subject talking gonna do to me? 🙂 It can be hard to stand out a little. Heck, in this world, it can be hard to even REMEMBER to stand out a little! But it’s worth it. Thanks, Becky. Happy thanksgiving to you too!
I love the way you put this. Once upon a time I could have done the same thing, and I got lost somewhere along the way. Right now depression at the loss of my mom during the holidays last year has me overwhelmed. Coming by from PYHO
It is easy to go with the flow on things sometimes- everyone is doing it, it’s not that bad, etc. Sometimes I’ve even thought well, God wouldn’t have given me this opportunity if it wasn’t right- instead of realizing that sometimes God puts things in our paths to see if we’ll be able to say no.
I love that version of that passage from Romans. Good stuff. And good words here, Becky. We should stand out–like a lit on a hill.
Stopping by from PYHO and I just love this. So, so true. <3
Great post. I like and it is so true.