CLICK IT OR TICKET

Reading: Proverbs 16.24

A whole lot of people chafe at the idea of seat belts. Perhaps it’s our belief in our own immortality, or the curmudgeon that seems to reside within so many of us. “Don’t tell me I need a seat belt!“ can actually be translated, “Don’t tell me how to run my life!”

Long before there was “click it or ticket” there were people promoting the faithful use of seat

belts. Early in our marriage my wife Dianne went on a campaign to get her husband to use a seat belt. “You have a college degree and now have a 4.0 in seminary. Surely you are smart enough to know seat belts are good for you.” Well, I knew broccoli was good for me, but for the longest time I didn’t want to see it on my dinner plate. I used to tease that Dianne believed in those Highway Patrol movies, You know the gory ones they used to show in driver’s ed, so bloody and so realistic that CSI would never dare to broadcast them on network television.

One day I she asked me to take our four year old Christopher to Nursery School. I was running late, so I scooped him up, deposited him in the passenger’s seat of our Pinto, reaching over to snap his seat belt into place. Then without thinking, I snapped on mine as well. Christopher’s mouth dropped open and then he said, “You put on your seat belt! Now you are safe from harm like Mommy, Christi, Michael and me!” Ouch!!!

It was about then that I began to surrender to the notion of seat belts, but I confess even 30+ years later, I tend to click it at the end of my driveway instead of when I get into the car. I guess I do think I am immortal, or am just an old curmudgeon after all.

"Pride goes before a crash." - Proverbs 16:24 loosely paraphrased