Everyone loves a rousing story, right? And of course, everyone loves vacation. So, what can be better than a rousing vacation story? Well, I’ve got one for you.
On one of the latter days of our vacation on Cozumel Island, we went in search of a great spot to snorkel. We both love to snorkel, especially in the Caribbean. It’s quite the surreal experience. Just below the surface of the turquoise sea is as Aladdin would say, “a whole new world.” Earlier in the week we had snorkeled on a spot called the Sky Reef and what we found below the surface was some of God’s best handiwork. Coral formations that looked to be straight out of a Dr. Suess book, gently swaying to and fro in the invisible currents. Countless bright and vivid fish, swimming about on a dire mission that was lost to me. And all of this in a massive bathtub of crystal clear, skin-warming water.
We encountered a huge school of silvery green fish that must have numbered in the hundreds. They stayed so close, it seemed they had already been canned like sardines, but just didn’t know it yet. As they swam and the currents gently moved them, many as one, it was nothing less than hypnotizing. Margie and I floated on the calm sea and silently observed them for what seemed days, entranced with the beauty of God in a simple school of His fish. But our story does not unfold here, it unfolds at our next exotic snorkel location.
Marge had found another remote spot called the “Money Bar.” I assume named for the prized bar reef located just off its shore, or it could just be a clever nomer given to the small bar that resided right there on the beach. We had a tiny little rental car that day and we carefully GPS’d our way down the small little side road that ran secretly to the beach. We parked near a scant few other cars, finding it hard to believe that such a great spot would have so little partakers. We grabbed some chairs almost touching the water and proceeded to have a story book beach day. Beaming sunshine, quiet time to read and of course, ample time to explore the creatures under the sea. By the way, I reread “Where the Red Fern Grows” on this trip, if you haven’t read this in a while, I highly recommend this well-written, soul wrenching Southern classic about the love between a boy and his two coon hounds. If anyone can read this book and not shed a tear, I’ll need to have an MD examine their chest for a beat.
About 6pm as our stomachs started to ask for dinner, we packed up and headed for the casa. We hopped in the car and headed down the small quiet road we came in on. Only this time it was to be more than a simple road, it was to be the playing field where our story plays out. I had made it no more than 75 yards when we were faced with a black and white truck. And not just a regular ol’ black and white truck, but one with a sight that no one ever wants to see sans emergency. This one had lights on top of it. And the worst part? The lights were on. At this moment Dan’s brain told Dan, uh-oh.
There’s not much worse than being pulled over and you have no idea what you’ve done. I’ve had quite a few speeding tickets in my younger days and every time I knew I was caught when I saw the lights. This time the lights caught me amiss. Well, unbeknownst to me, this particular small uninhabited beach road was a one way, although the signs that would alert the drivers of this fact were strangely absent. Yep, this was happening, Dan and Margie were about to meet the Mexican police.
The officer approached and kindly asked hablas Espanol? (you speak Spanish?) My standard response all week had been poquito, “a little bit.” But this time my response was a little less certain. I might be able to haggle with a street vendor over a tiny wooden monkey, but the Mexican police? Luckily, he spoke passable English and he asked for my license which I happily provided, all the while searching his non-verbal communication cues and hoping for a lenient officer that greatly loved American tourists. Not so much. He quickly told me I was going to get a ticket and that I would have to pay it in court tomorrow...in Cozumel. The only problem with this was we were leaving the next day, flying a thousand miles North of where this citation had just occurred. As we continued the conversation with him, we noticed something you just don’t find in the US. Fishing. And I don’t mean the kind that was happening only a stone’s throw from us over on the sandy white beach. Margie was the first to just say what we were all thinking and simply asked him, “since we’re leaving tomorrow can we just pay you the $40?” The bait was cast and it was taken quickly. I quickly extracted $40 in US cash, “paid my ticket” and it was received with a warm, well-wishing smile. The officer assured us all was OK and even offered us a police escort to our turn off, ¼ mile down the road. (of course, in the other direction than I was originally driving) Our brush with the Mexican law was over almost before it started. A great story, although this one cost us $40.
We knew that this existed in this culture, and in countless cultures the world over, we had just never personally witnessed it. We had made a few Mexican friends in town throughout the week and as we ran into them, we told them of our encounter. Very few even blinked an eye. It’s not only the tourists we were told, but the locals as well. We were told that if you lived on the island it was always smart to have $500 pesos ($20US) at the ready so you could “pay your ticket” right on the spot. Because of this, most of the citizens have a certain amount of fear of the officers, and also as a result, very little pride or trust in them. As we told our story to our waiter friend, Norberto at lunch the next day, you could see the hurt and embarrassment in his eyes. The men and women dedicated to serve and protect the public, corrupted by greed, taking great advantage of their societal position. Sinful hearts doing what sinful hearts do, if left unchecked.
As I processed this event, I pondered. I come across many in my daily walk that see God just as so many see the Mexican police here in Cozumel. A great authoritative force in the sky that is constantly on patrol just waiting for us to break some small insignificant law or rule. And as we are caught, we are slapped with a fine, pure and swift punishment. Some see God as nothing more than a heavenly officer, ready to delve out the punishment we deserve as we break His unkeepable rules. What a sad view of our Heavenly Father, when in fact, He is the polar opposite.
You see, we are all born sinners, there is no escaping the fact. You can deny it or flat out repute it, but that doesn’t change it. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23) You see ever since Adam and Eve took a big crunchy bite out of that juicy piece of fruit, we have all been destined to deal with our own personal sin nature. Because of this sin, we can never approach God. In that moment in the garden, every man and women were destined to be separated from God for eternity. But God made a way. You see, our Heavenly Father is not here to punish. He is not here to fine us for our wrongs. He is not some officer parked behind a billboard intently trying to catch you speeding, only wanting to punish you and “make you pay.” In fact, there are two words that say just the opposite…grace and mercy.
In the single biggest act of love, grace and mercy the world will every see, God sent His Son, His only Beloved Son, to this planet. The King of Kings, born a poor child in an animal’s dirty feed trough. To live a perfect sin-free life in a sinful place amongst people wrought with sin. To be rejected by these sinners, to be beaten, mocked, spat upon and brutally hung on a Cross to die a slow, painful death. Oh, the irony that the sinless Son of God hung on a Cross in front of sinners, to die at their sin-stained hands. And He did all of this for you. So that you would not be a prisoner of your sin. You are no longer a slave to sin, but you can inherit the kingdom of God. My friends, this should be the sweetest sound that has ever touched your ears. Instead of living a sin-filled life that will separate you from God, you have the ability to call upon Jesus Christ as your Savior and experience an eternity in the presence of God the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, in all of His glory. Amen and Amen.
As I handed over that $40, I couldn’t help but think about Jesus. He paid my fine for me over 2000 years ago. I will never have to pay the huge fine I owe, I couldn’t afford it anyway. Praise God for our Savior, Jesus Christ and praise the Lord for our honest, brave and loyal Police officers of the United States of America.
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