Smile when you run that red light!
Technology is wonderful (if there are kids around to run it for you), but one advance might make you nervous. Cameras at some intersections can now take a photo of a car when it runs a traffic light, trace the tag number, and mail a bill for the fine to the car’s owner.
Like me, you may not be very concerned about that if you don’t run traffic lights. But imagine if this practice is expanded. What if cameras record every wrong thing you ever do? Toss that gum wrapper out of the car window and get a bill in the mail. Snap at your wife and get a warning letter from her lawyer. Think your flirting is harmless? Not if your husband has it on videotape.
Think of all the moments in your life which you really would not want on tape. Aren’t there things you would be terribly embarrassed for everyone to know? To make it more frightening, let’s suppose that a breakthrough makes it possible to record, not just your actions, but even your thoughts. Imagine if all the mean, dishonest, improper thoughts you ever harbored were written down. Then, imagine that you must stand before a judge who’s holding a printout of all those.
Bad news! That situation already exists. Your Creator already knows it all. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Did you catch the last part of that? Not only does he know, but he will demand an explanation. How do we explain our imperfection to the perfect one who made us? We don’t.
Good news! He who has it all on film also offers to destroy the negatives. As he told Paul years ago, “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16).
Wash your sins away! We have the opportunity to do that – to have our sins removed forever just like Paul did. What an incredible offer!
If you haven’t accepted that offer, what are you waiting for? You ought to be hurrying as fast as you can to have that done. Just don’t run any red lights on the way! God didn’t promise to pay your traffic fines.