I DIDN'T DESERVE THAT!

I was on my way to my client's house last week when I found myself not concentrating on where I was going.  I ended up driving by the road I was supposed to turn onto.  I didn't want to turn around so I figured out another route.  I convinced myself that this way was just as good as the other.  As I turned onto the new road, I had not driven far when my cell phone went off.  My contractor, Mike, was calling me to tell me he was lost.  He was giving me names of roads and asking me if he was in the area of my client's house.  By the description he was giving me, I really thought he was not too far away from the destination.   I was feeling bad because it was my fault he was lost.  Earlier, he had asked me for an address and I didn't give him a full address.  His GPS would have gotten him to the job, no problem.  While I was talking to Mike, I noticed a school to my right.  I also noticed a police car sitting in front of the school.  I did not see anyone in the car and assumed the police officer was in the school.  As I was going by the police car, the lights went on.  Great!  I could not believe what was happening.  I knew right then...I was in trouble.  I had not been paying attention.  All of my thoughts were going to figuring out where my contractor was.  What an idiot!   No...not my contractor....me!  

When the officer came to the car, I rolled down my window and I handed him my license.  He smiled and said, "Mam, I clocked you at 34 mph in a school zone".  I couldn't say anything in my defense because I had no idea how fast I was going.  My heart was in my throat.  I mumbled to him I wasn't even supposed to be on that road and I wouldn't have gone by a school.  I said, "This is not a good time for me to screw up."  I told him business is really slow and the social security office has messed up my husband's checks and we were not receiving anything.  Of course, our financial difficulties have nothing to do with my speeding issue!  I was totally distraught.  The officer continued to be very kind to me.  He asked me for my insurance information and I handed him what I thought was the right one.  He looked at it and said, "This is last years information...look some more."  I started getting increasingly upset.  My hands started to shake, my eyes became blurry with tears and I was wildly digging through the glove box basically handing him every piece of paper in there!  He gently touched my shoulder and said, "Why don't you take a deep breath and relax while I go back to my car and check your license information."  After he left my car, I bowed my head and prayed.  "Lord, I have really messed up.  Please have him give me mercy."  Not really believing anything good was going to come from this horrible event, I hung my head down waiting for the bad news.  I was waiting to receive a huge ticket for my misbehavior...calmly awaiting my fate.  The officer came back to my car and said, "Mam, I am only going to give you a warning this time.  Your record is very good!"  I was shocked!  I had to make myself close my mouth.  I said, "Really?"  He touched my arm and said, "Now, go home and find your insurance information and put it in your car."  I stuck my hand out the window and shook his hand and thanked him profusely!  I could not believe what happened.  "Thank you Jesus!" is what came out of my mouth.  

Recently, I have been studying about mercy.  In Psalm 103:10 it says that God doesn't treat us as our sins deserve nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.  Mercy means,"You don't receive the punishment that is rightfully yours". 

I didn't deserve that!  I didn't deserve mercy.  I deserved a ticket.  I am glad I missed the original road.  This road took me to a new life lesson personally showing me what mercy looks like.