70 mph....

Let me set the scenario for you.....early Sunday morning I'm on my way back home from a business trip to Nashville.  It's maybe 8:30, and I haven't even had 3 sips of a brand new cup of coffee I just picked up.

I've made that trip several times.  And I'm here to tell you that 90% of it is posted at 70 mph.  But this particular time and place it wasn't 70...but 55mph.  That's when I noticed him.

So many times I've had close calls when I'll slow down quickly and just sail on by promising God and myself that I've given up speeding for good this time.  Well I suppose that spoiled me a little because I was pretty surprised when he pulled out and turned those blue lights on.

My friends told me I should've cried or charmed my way out of it.  Well, charming is tough when I could bite a nail in two.  And cry???  Please - I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

So what's my problem?  That's what I finally asked myself.  I broke the law and I paid the price for it.  I knew the speed limit was 55.  Who cares that there was almost no one on the road with me and I was from out of town and whatever else I could come up with here as an excuse.  I broke the law and I paid the price for it.

You know sometimes we think that just because it's not hurting anyone, it doesn't really matter; that it should be ok if we bend the rules a little bit.  No harm, no foul.  Who's going to know, right?  God will.

As Christians we are called to be set apart and holy.  This includes skimping on your taxes, milking the clock at work, laughing at inappropriate jokes, watching TV shows you probably shouldn't be, swearing in private....I could go on and on.  And let me tell you, I struggle with a lot of these just like you do. 

Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance.  Phillipians 1:27a (MSG)

As Christians we are never alone, for the Holy Spirit is always with us.  So when we think of it like that, there is nothing that we can do in private that God doesn't see.  Let's honor our Father with our lives....set apart and holy.