Tuesday, February 12, 2008

IDENTIFICATION, PLEASE?

I really wasn't going that fast -- at least I didn't think I was until I saw the police car facing me just off the left side of the road. When I saw him I glanced at my speedometer at which point I began applying my brakes -- I was going 52 in a 35 mph zone! I had just passed him when I noticed his lights go on. "Sure hope he got the guy in front of me and not me," I thought. Nope - no such luck.
"May I see some identification, please. License, registration, and proof of insurance."
I already had it out of the glovebox ready to hand him when he asked for it.
"Identification, please?" Reminded me of the story of a professor who warned his class that they only 20 minutes left on a test. The time ran out and the professor cleared his throat loudly and asked all to hand in their tests. Everyone but one did. 10 minutes went by, then 20. Finally, the old professor loudly bellowed, "Young man - you're past time. You get a zero for this test!"
The student got up and walked down the steps of the large classroom with his test in hand. When he reached the desk he said sternly, "Do you know who I am? Huh, do you? Do you have any idea who I am?"
The professor said, "No, I don't."
The student placed the paper in the middle section of the stack of tests and said as he left, "GOOD!"
Just who are you? Who do think you are? What are you all about? May I see some identification, please?
At your very core who are you? If I asked you to list the top ten descriptors defining you (husband, father, teacher, friend, athlete, student, son, daughter, etc), what would you list? Then, if I asked you to choose one of these that would be your core descriptor, that one descriptor that informs all the others, what would you choose? (No matter what else I am, I am always this, and this one will always affect my decisions and behaviors in all my other roles.)
What did you say? I want my answer to be Christian. The central point of identity that informs every relationship, every attitude, every belief, every action, every whatever - is what Keith Green used to say was the definition of a Christian - "Someone who is bananas for Jesus!" It is my goal to bananaize all my life. That is one identity no one can steal.
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Addendum to Post: 2-13-08 No, I did not receive a speeding ticket from that incident. He informed me that I was traveling fast enough to double the fine - it should have been $140. BUT he was letting me go with a warning; I thanked him and went on my way rejoicing!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kevin,
My name is Josh Gifford and I am in your interpersonal communications class at Boise State. You may or may not remember me from our optional mandatory meeting. You told me to check out your blog and I did. It is very inspiring to hear your words of insight. I also agree, I want to bananaize my life to the max as well. See you in class!

Josh

Jennspiration said...

Man, Kev...how did you get so fortunate to just get a warning?!