Have you ever been pulled over by a police officer? I would imagine it is a sickening feeling to look up in your rear view mirror and see the person behind you with the blue lights flashing. I may or may not have experienced it in my lifetime. I’ll never tell.
This past week the local police seemed to be busy everywhere I went. In one day I passed four different people who had the misfortune of being escorted to the side of the road only to hear the words,
License and registration, please.”
There was something a bit unusual about these stops. Each and every stop included two police cars with multiple officers. I have always assumed there would be backup if the officer suspected the person they were stopping was under the influence of something or a criminal of some sort, but not for a routine traffic stop. This morning a friend of mine who is a police officer posted a picture on Facebook that said,
There’s no such thing as a routine traffic stop.”
Each and every time an officer stops someone and walks up to a car, they’re risking their lives. I wanted to find out if this was a new policy, so I called a friend of mine on the force to talk with her about it.
Hey, I’ve noticed four people being pulled over today, which is not unusual in Atlanta, but what was unusual was each stop had two cars and at least two officers. What’s going on? Is this something new as a result the recent hostility towards officers?
I was surprised by her response,
Actually, it’s always been a safety protocol that’s been in place since I’ve been on the force. Whenever possible there are two cars present. There’s safety in numbers.”
I thought about her response for a while. There’s safety in numbers. If that’s the case, and I think most of us would agree it is, then why do we allow the enemy to isolate us? Why do we try to go through the hard things alone? We don’t want to bother anyone? Or is it we don’t want to let them see our junk? We don’t want to appear needy?
God knew we needed people. He stressed spoke about it in several places throughout scripture. Two of my favorites are found in Hebrews 10:25,
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another– and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
and Ecclesiastes 4:9-12,
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
As Bill Withers’ song, Lean On Me, says,
We all need somebody to lean on…”
The Lord is always available for us to lean on, in fact, it is his heart’s desire that we will lean on Him [Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 33:3, Matthew 11:28]. But He also has given us people who can be Jesus with skin on to lean on in difficult times.
If you don’t feel like you have someone to lean on ask yourself if you’re applying Hebrews 10:25 to your life.
- Are you apart of the Body of Christ?
- Do you have a church home? Are
- you part of a believers small group?
- Do you attend a house church?
If the answer to those questions are no, seek out a body of believers you can become part of and get to know the people there. Take the leap of faith and show up for a small group meeting. Join a Bible study. Do not allow the enemy to isolate you anymore.
Just for you:
[youtube]https://youtu.be/KEXQkrllGbA?list=RDKEXQkrllGbA[/youtube]
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