Observing Traffic & Other Laws

by Danny True

“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matt 22:21 KJV).

That is the answer Jesus gave the disciples when they asked: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” The point He was making is that all (including Himself) should obey the “law of the land”, that none are above the law. That also includes God’s law as well as governmental law.

Even after I began writing this article, I took a break and my grandson and I went out for lunch. On the way, I drove to an intersection to make a right-hand turn. The light had just turned to yellow and by the time I completed the turn it was red. Hidden nearby was a police car and he followed for a few blocks and eventually pulled me over.

Fortunately he just gave a verbal warning, saving me over $200 in a potential fine. But, this emphasized the point that I had started writing about — no one is above the law!

Dr. Peter Lord, retired Pastor of Park Avenue Baptist Church in Titusville, FL and an International speaker, had a sermon in the early ’80s entitled “The 56 Mile-An-Hour Sin” (back then the speed limit was 55). In that message his point was that you need to follow the letter of the law, that driving even one mile above the  speed limit was a sin.

The “legend” attached to that account involved a church member who, as a joke,  arranged for a county deputy to follow Pastor Lord the next day after he preached that message, and he was pulled over for driving 56 ! A “warning”  citation was served.

Point well made!

Now, that brings up a similar issue that has been a “pet peeve” of mine for years. That is, why do the police and other government employees  not follow the laws themselves? For instance, I have seen officers on regular roadway patrol driving well in excess of the speed limit but with apparently no urgent place to go. Or, worse yet, see them a little while later sipping coffee in their favorite “market” or coffee shop.

I am sure that statues require them to obey the law if they are not on a “mission” that would necessitate their violating the limits. Naturally, in that case and for safety reasons, they would also display their flashing lights and use a siren and/or horn to alert other drivers of their approach.

Driving in the “slow” lane unless conditions (hazards, weather, etc.) warrant otherwise and using  turn signals when turning or changing lanes by our officers would be courteous. The law dictates that, by the way.

In all fairness, it seems that State Highway officers DO generally tend to follow the rules that they are obliged to enforce upon the populace. Local police and County officers are more lax when it comes to their own driving habits. They, instead, should be our role models (or can I say “road models”).

I may get caught for  a “rolling stop” or  running a traffic light but at least I signal my turns!

All other “Caesar-like” requirement as well as taxes and rules of the road must be respected, except when those laws conflict with or tend to override God’s laws. However that exception invokes an involved, touchy issue and may be covered in a separate article.

Drive carefully!