Wouldn't You Want to be Warned?
Have you ever flashed your lights to warn oncoming traffic of a speed trap? I asked someone that question and he said, “I would never do that. I don’t think it’s ethical and possibly illegal.”“Have you ever appreciated it when someone did it for you, and you avoided a ticket?” He sheepishly admitted that he had.Recently a federal judge ruled, state and local laws that penalize a driver for flashing their lights to warn a driver of a speed trap, violate the first amendment right to free speech. The judge said that the person making the warning is doing a good thing by bringing the oncoming driver into conformity of the law, regardless of whether or not a citation is issued. Instead of debating the ethics of those laws or the judge’s ruling, let’s talk about something more important.Through the prophet Ezekiel, God told his people that they were responsible for giving proper warning of spiritual danger when their brothers and sisters were living contrary to God’s principles. That same responsibility was reiterated many times in the New Testament for those in the church. Both of Jesus’ half brothers, James and Jude, closed out their epistles talking about this. Paul also told Timothy and Titus to warn others when necessary. Doing this is not passing judgement on another person, it’s an act of love. It’s lovingly informing an erring brother or sister of the ultimate consequences of sin.
We need some gentle coaxing here and there along the way.
That’s partly what community is for. The church is to be a place of accountability, encouragement, and care, and along with this comes positive peer pressure. It’s helping one another live the way we ultimately want to live (if we are truly in Christ), but need some gentle coaxing here and there along the way.I’d rather have an oncoming driver flash his lights at me to encourage me to slow down, than to get a ticket. And I’d rather have a brother or sister gently remind me of the promise I’ve made to God, to follow his path and live a consistent Christian life, than fall and face far greater consequences.I just read this passage from Paul in Galatians 6 this morning…“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2).