One, Two, Three

One, Two, Three

[Jesus said,] “If you love me, obey my commandments.”

John 14:15

I drive a red convertible. And yes, I’d love to “put the pedal to the metal” and see how fast it would go. But I don’t. I’m a law-abiding driver.

One day I came to a four-way-stop intersection. Before I got there, I noticed there were no other cars in sight. So I stopped, glanced around, noticed a police car parked a block away, and then went on.

Thirty seconds later, the police car appeared behind me with its bubble-gum machine flashing. I had no idea why a policeman would be stopping me, but I pulled over immediately.

The young policewoman came to the passenger door, and I rolled down the window. She looked inside, I suppose to be sure I was alone and unarmed, then stepped up to the window.

“Hello, ma’am” (a term of respect in the South). “Did you realize you didn’t stop long enough at the stop sign back there?”

Surprised, I said politely, “Well, no, ma’am. I certainly thought I stopped correctly.”

“Well, ma’am, I didn’t feel that you stopped long enough.”

“Long enough?”

“Yes. When you stop, you should always count to three before you go on.”

Because she was obviously young and dead serious, I repressed a giggle. And I thought, Count to three? What law is that? And is it one . . . two . . . three or one-two-three? Instead, I said, “Really? I’ve been driving fifty years” (thinking, thirty years longer than you’ve been alive!), “and I’ve never heard that before. But I’ll try to remember.”

“That’s good,” she said. “I’m not going to give you a ticket. Just be careful.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you, ma’am.”

Now, every time I come to that intersection, I stop and say aloud, “Onetwothree!”

It’s a good reminder to be careful. And it makes me smile.

Lord, thank you for your reminders about how to have a happy life. Help me always count to three when I am facing a choice to violate your laws. Amen.