Pounding Nails

In the early 80's, Christian rock music gained popularity in the church community and one of my favorite bands was Undercover. Perhaps my interest in the band was due to some sort of prophetic message for my future career. (For the record, I am also a fan of The Police) One of their songs included this lyric, "Three nails, three days, one way to God." Understanding the significance of the three nails was my inspiration for this post and the story begins at the moment of Jesus' arrest.

“…Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him.” (Matthew 26:47-49)

“When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, ‘Lord, should we strike with our swords?’ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.” (Luke 22:49-51)

“‘Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?’”(Matthew 26:51-53) 

It occurs to me that the last guy Jesus healed before his crucifixion was a member of the posse sent to arrest him. It happened in the Garden of Gethsemane when Peter used his sword and hit a guy in the head. He was lucky he only lost an ear. Yet even in the chaos of his arrest, Jesus had compassion on a man who conspired against him and healed him.

Judas betrayed him. Peter denied him. All of his disciple’s fled. Yet it was the law enforcement detachment that carried out his arrest, torture and death sentence. Not one of the better moments for our profession. We were part of the conspiracy between the Chief Priest and Pontius Pilate. We beat him, flogged him, forced him to carry the cross on the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha, nailed him to the cross and stood by to watch him die.

We were very good at our craft. We hit him with the scourge 39 times because we knew that 40 strikes were likely to end a man’s life. We beat him to the point of death but not enough to kill him.

“Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.” (Matthew 27:27-31)

Once we got him to Golgotha, we made sure to nail him through his hands and feet in places that would not sever an artery. We put a small block of wood under his feet so he could push himself up for air to prolong the suffering of death from crucifixion. Still Jesus prayed for us, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

G.K. Chesterton, in his book The Everlasting Man, offers this insight on the events of the crucifixion. “All great groups that stood about the Cross represent in one way or another the great historical truth of the time; that the world could not save itself. Man could do no more. Rome and Jerusalem and Athens and everything else were going down like a sea turned into a slow cataract.”

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

It is troubling that even the people charged with upholding the law would throw in with a mob to torture and murder an innocent man. The reality is that we all participated directly in the crucifixion of Christ. Every Christian realizes sooner or later that it was for THEIR sin that Jesus died. In a way, I held the hammer and pounded the nails into his hands and feet. And yet there is hope, “for it is by grace you are saved through faith and it is not from yourselves, it is a gift from God.”

Three nails, three days, one way to God.

Road Rage

One Saturday afternoon I sat in the Sergeant’s office of the Santa Barbara Police Department reading crime reports when I heard the faint sound of a car horn. I didn’t think much of it until thirty seconds passed, the horn continued and the sound got louder. I figured that someone just got married. A few more seconds ticked by, the honking continued and the sound of screeching tires added to the din. This was strange. Some married couple was really excited AND in a big hurry to get to the hotel.  This was far from the case and there was not one car but two.

Another fifteen seconds passed, the sound of the horn with the screeching tires was punctuated by noise I associated with a car crash. What the heck was going on? The three noises reoccurred at least four more times over the next twenty seconds. My office was in the middle of the building and I listened as the sounds went from my right to left. The cars passed in front of the police department and turned the wrong way down the east side of the building where we parked police cars.

I was standing now listening to the sounds of horns, the squealing tires and the crashing of cars. A moment later, there was one final, very loud crash. I ran down a hallway and out the side door. There I saw two cars piled into a retaining wall, one behind the other. Miraculously, both cars missed eight police vehicles and a gas pump. The driver of the second car ran up to me and demanded that I arrest the first driver for cutting him off on the freeway a mile away! As crazy as this sounds, this “bad” guy was intentionally crashing into the back of the first car to “force” the driver to the police department. He made sure to slam car number one into the retaining wall to make sure the guy that cut him off did not get away. He got arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and went to jail. Road rage is actually classified as a mental condition: Intermittent Explosive Disorder. I guess this guy had a defense! 

We all get cut off on the road. Most of the time, there is only the exchange of a gesture that is similar to saying, "You're number one!" 

Now WHAT IF… we celebrated with people who cut us off or passed us on the road? What if we prayed for people who drive badly?

Now before you stop reading, consider my scriptural basis for such a suggestion:

In Matthew 5:38-44, Jesus preached, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone cuts you off on the freeway, let them go right ahead.” Ok, Jesus did not say the last line, but he did say, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” I think he said that with driving in mind!

Jesus continues, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” 

Now add in James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

It turns out that driving is an activity that calls us to pray for our enemies, to be joyful in the trials and to grow in our faith. There may never be a cop around when you need one, but there is always the power of prayer. Even bad drivers cannot out run the Spirit of God!

Infusion or Infection?

I sometimes wonder if it's more stressful for police professionals to respond to 911 calls for service or to work with partners, supervisors or managers who create toxic work environments inside police buildings. A mentor once commented on chronic negativity saying that it would not matter if he walked down the hallway handing out $20 bills, someone would complain that it was not two $10’s. One or two individuals engaging in complaining, grumbling, gossip or insubordination can drag a team down and destroy morale. Work becomes…work. Are you part of the problem at work? Ask yourself this question: “Do people look forward to you going on vacation?” 

Consider Judas’ influence as a leader during the life of Jesus. “Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair…But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” John12:3-6

Judas’ role in the life of the early church and the crucifixion was many things. He was one of Jesus’ most trusted followers. He received the power to cast out demons, to cure diseases, to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (Luke 9:1) He was also responsible to manage the finances of the ministry. There was a dark side to Judas. He was a thief and he would argue with his co-workers about which of them was the greatest. (Luke 9:46) Some historians and scholars suggest that Judas believed Jesus would lead a revolution and become the earthly King of Israel. There would be a new power in the region and Judas would be part of the inner circle. When he realized that this would not going to be the case. He became insubordinate and a traitor. His disciple buddies probably looked forward to his vacations.

Matthew 26: 14-16, “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”

The power of one to bring calamity is easy enough to accomplish. It does require malice and aforethought. C.S. Lewis, in The Great Divorce, describes the process of giving yourself over to what I will call organizational infection, “It begins with a grumbling mood and yourself distinct from it, perhaps criticizing it and yourself in a dark hour may will that mood; embrace it. You can repent and come out of it again but there may come a day when you can do that no longer.”

The infection spread through all of the disciples. When the Temple Guards showed up to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, it was Judas that brought the infection, “Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders... Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him…Then everyone deserted him and fled.” (Mark 14)

The infection was cured when Jesus died on the cross; paying the debt for the sin of all mankind. The infection of sin was replaced by the Holy Spirit who is now infused in our hearts, our minds and our strength. (Luke 10:27) Does the infection of sin or the infusion of the Holy Spirit guide your life? It is easy to be consumed at work by complaining, grumbling, gossip or insubordination. When the temptation to criticize co-workers, supervisors and managers begins, stand firm in your faith and know that the Spirit of God is infused within you. You are a light to the world and I don’t mean the red and blue ones flashing on the top of police cars!

No Parking

“Whatever people expect, they soon come to think they have a right to: the sense of disappointment can, with very little skill on our part, be turned into a sense of injury.” - Screwtape, Senior Tempter, Hell. (The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis)

“An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.” Proverbs 18:1

One night in Santa Barbara, I met a partner at a 7-11 for a cup of coffee. We got our caffeine fix and stood outside the front door of the store next to my police car. We talked for a few minutes and a woman pulled up in a car next to where we stood. I could see that in the back seat was an orange, 2 ½ foot tall “A” frame sign printed front and back with the words, “City of Santa Barbara - No Parking.” These signs are used to create temporary no parking areas for special events, road work and such. Now it looked to me like this woman “borrowed” the sign from the City to create her own personal “No Parking” space when she needed it. I was looking into her car trying to figure out why she would have the sign in the first place and she saw me staring. 

“Can I help you?” she asked with sarcasm halfway to the front door.

“Yes, where did you get that sign?”

“It was a gift.”

“A gift? From who?” This was getting interesting.

“From someone who is with the city LONGER than YOU!!!” She was winding up and clearly irritated that I would dare to ask such a question.

Now here was a person who was skirting the rules and got caught. I knew it. She knew it. It was now a game to see how I could get the sign out of the car.

“You can’t have that.” I said in very matter of fact tone.

She started to argue and insisted that the sign was given to her.

“You can’t have that.” I repeated the statement.

“What do you want me to do? Give YOU the sign?” Sarcasm dripped from her words.

“Yes.”

She walked back to her car and started a verbal barrage about how this was unfair, how she had a “right” to the sign and expressed her general distain for city employees. She unlocked the car, took the sign out and handed it to me.

“Thanks.” I said. I opened my trunk, put it in and continued to drink my coffee.

The woman was really mad now. She was yelling as she walked into the store. The door closed behind her and while I could not hear her words, it was clear that she continued to yell as she walked to the Slurpee machine. People inside stopped what they were doing and watched the unhappy tax payer. My partner suggested it was time to go.

I got in my car and backed out to leave. The woman sees me leaving; bolts from the back of the store, past the cashier, shoves open the front doors and yells, “WHY DON’T YOU GO EAT A DOUGHNUT!”

I laughed as I drove away.

The sad reality was that this woman believed she had a right to this sign. Who was I to question her possession of it? It does not take long working as a peace officer to figure out that people who break the law are, for the most part, driven by selfish ambition. Galatians 5:19-21 puts selfishness in perspective: “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Considering that selfish ambition falls into the same category as extreme as witchcraft on one end and as innocuous as discord on the other, it is clear to me that all have sinned and fallen short of the kingdom of God. (Romans 3:23) While it is not likely that we will face a judge for the choices we make, the truth is that we will all have to answer for the No Parking Signs we have a in the back seat of our cars. There is no break we can get from a cop, no court that can issue a stay and no amount of time spent in a prison cell to escape eternal judgment. Forgiveness is only found at the foot of the cross.

Mark 10:32-34, “They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.’”

Hitting Rock Bottom

“Those who have fallen may remember the fall, even when they forget the height…There is such a thing as the momentary power to remember that we forget. And the most ignorant of humanity know by the very look of earth that they have forgotten heaven.” G. K. Chesterton - The Everlasting Man.

One afternoon, I was set up on a busy street with a radar gun watching for speeders. It did not take long to catch a guy driving much faster than the speed limit and I pulled him over in a gas station parking lot. A contact like this always starts the same way, “Good afternoon. My name is Officer Aspland with the Santa Barbara Police Department. I stopped you for speeding. Is there any lawful reason why you were exceeding the speed limit today?”

The guy was quick to admit he was speeding. I suppose part of his motivation was that a cloud of smoke smelling very much like marijuana was wafting out of the cab of his truck. I told him, “I need to see your driver’s license, registration, proof of insurance and the rest of the marijuana you haven’t smoked.” He looked surprised. I figured he did not think I would notice the smoke and the odor if he admitted to speeding.  He popped open the center console of the truck and gave me a baggie of pot.

I had him step back to my car and my partner stood by with the guy while I searched the truck. He left the keys on the truck bench and I noticed a very small Tupperware bowl hanging off his key ring. Inside the little storage container was a rock of cocaine.  My speeding ticket turned into a felony arrest for possession of coke. 

The following year on the Fourth of July, I worked foot patrol at Shoreline Park just north of the Santa Barbara harbor. It was in the parking lot that this guy walked up to me and told me his arrest was the wake up call he needed. He told me that he was so strung out on cocaine that he forgot that he stashed his dope in a key ring, Tupperware charm. He was now sober, reunited with his family and salvaged his marriage. He walked me over to his picnic area, introduced me to his wife and insisted that I share in his barbeque. Rock bottom was in this situation was a key ring charm.

For the Apostle Peter, rock bottom happened when he denied he was a follower Jesus during the crucifixion. Peter’s denial came on the heels of his proclamation that he would never abandon the Lord. To make things worse, Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times before the night ended. “Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” John 13:38

Matthew 26: 69-75 tells the rest of the story, “Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. ‘You also were with Jesus of Galilee,’ she said. But he denied it before them all. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, ‘This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ He denied it again, with an oath: ‘I don’t know the man!’ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, ‘Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.’ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know the man!’ Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: ‘Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

After Jesus died, Peter went back to his job as a fisherman. What else was he going to do? He spent three years of his life serving Jesus and then denied knowing the man Peter believed was God. A few days following the resurrection, Peter went out all night fishing and caught nothing. He was bringing the boat into harbor when a man standing on the shoreline called to him and told him to cast his nets over the side of the boat for one more try. Peter did as he was told, he had an empty boat with nothing to lose. The net was so full that he could not haul all the fish in. Peter realized that the man on the shore was the resurrected Jesus. He jumped over board and swam in from his boat. He walked onto the beach and found Jesus had prepared ... a barbeque! After breakfast, Jesus called Peter to begin his ministry to build the church. Rock bottom for Peter was the foundation for changing the world.

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matthew 16: 17-18 

Rock bottom is different for everyone. The question is what will you do when you get there?

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9