Of Laws and Lessons...

One of the things that has been on my mind a lot lately is a subject that has been in the local news a lot. It appears that the Chief of Police in Winnipeg has decided that the police will be cracking down on more minor traffic offenses, while continuing to apprehend "more serious criminals". This has many locals upset, because who after all deserves a ticket for running a stop sign in a rural area? 

What surprises me is not that the police are now doing their jobs, and issuing tickets for traffic offenses, but rather, the public outcry surrounding this issue. People are upset because they are now going to be ticketed for breaking the law when they were not ticketed before. The local people in Winnipeg believe that the police should be cracking down on car thieves and gangs, and let the general public get away with breaking the law with traffic crimes. I don't speed. The government that i trust to set the rules to provide my safety has deemed that a certain speed is enough and so there is no reason for me to go above that. There are others that think that driving 10 km over the limit is still not speeding, when in fact they are breaking the law, just as a car thief, someone in a gang, or a person who sells drugs.

Allow me this illustration to make my point...

God gave us the 10 Commandments to live by, and while we look at "Thou shalt not murder" as a more serious crime, God sees it as equal to "Thou shalt not lie". Here's how it works.

The reason God gave us the 10 Commandments was not so that there would rules that we can't live up to. The reason God gave the commandments is (not was, as in the past tense, but is, as in the present, and still relevant today) because they describe the character of God in a way that we might not ever think. Here's my example...God did not give the commandment "Thou shalt not lie" because we are supposed to try to be honest in our everyday life. God gave us this commandment because it is a character that he possesses. God cannot lie, and because we are his children, and we have the Holy Spirit living in us, that is, his very being, it goes against everything that we are when we lie. And for those who will try to argue, that includes even the 'little white lies'.

So, getting back to things here, when the government sets a law that says the speed limit is 100 km, an individual driving 101 is breaking the law and should be therefore ticketed. I know if i was going 101 and got ticketed it would upset me, but i understand that i broke the law, and therefore must accept the consequences.

P.S. Thanks to all the law enforcement officials who work tirelessly enforcing all the laws. Your dedication and commitment to your job, and the fact that you put your lives in danger every shift so i can sleep a little more comfortable at night is greatly appreciated. I could never do what you do. Thank-you.