I had an unexpected surprise today. Not the good kind. I got pulled over by a police officer for having a non-working brake light. Thankfully, the ticket will go away if I get the brake light fixed and go to traffic court and pay $15. It could have been worse, I suppose.

But what if I had been recklessly speeding and fleeing from the cops? What if I had run several stop lights in the process? And just for good measure, what if when the cop finally pulled me over, I argued with him and even physically assulted him? Here’s the kicker. What if after all that, he let me go scot-free without even a warning and told me all my crimes had been paid for by someone else who had also taken all the jail time I deserved?

Ok, I’m fairly certain I would never do any of those things in my car. But haven’t I in a sense done all those things to God? Haven’t I broken His laws and then tried to run from Him? Haven’t I tried to argue and fight with Him even when I am clearly in the wrong and the obviously guilty party?

And yet I go free. The man Jesus is the one who already paid for all my violations and crimes and penalties (and that oh-so-politically-incorrect word, sins). He died the death I should have died on a cross that should have had my name on it, but instead had His.

The good news is that all I’m out for my troubles is a $4.99 brake light and a $15 court fee.

The best news is that all God wants from me in exchange for my sins being paid in full and my status changed from sinner to saint, from enemy to friend, and from nobody to child of God, is me. All He wants from me is me. My love, small and weak as it is, is what He demands of me. That I love God wholeheartedly and love others the same way as I love myself.

Wow. I never thought that a busted brake light and a traffic ticket could be such powerful spiritual reminders of who I am now in God. The best lessons really are learned when you’re not even looking for them.

Lesson learned, again.