When a Red Light Isn't

“Search for the Lord, and his strength; continually seek his face.” Psalm 105:4

We live in a world of explorers. I like to think I’ve got a pretty good handle on spelling and grammar, yet I find those skills put more and more to the test. Who among us hasn’t found text messages changed by the cell phone’s auto-correct or spell-check features? There are a lot of words in church-life that just aren’t recognized by the Great Brain in the Clouds, so I find myself miffed at times when the computer doesn’t like what I have to say, or the way I’m saying it.

“Hey,” I yell at the infernal clump of electronic detritus, “you’re not the boss of me!”

The computer just hums and chortles electronically; it doesn’t care how long it takes for me to settle down. The computer’s main component is called the mother board for a reason; she IS the boss of me!

For the most part, we get along just fine. I browse the net for news and sports; I check out a few social media sites to see what my friends and family are having for breakfast, where they’re going, what they’re doing, or who they’re doing it with. When I’m curious about something, I go to a search engine and find information that may or may not be correct. I remember Abraham Lincoln’s sage warning: “Just because you see a quote on the internet with my photo doesn’t mean I actually said it.” 

That’s good to know. I know a college professor who once started each class-year with a quote from the Buddha written across the top of her blackboard until one day at the start of a fresh semester one of her students pointed out that the Buddha had never said that. She looked it up online and found it among many quotes falsely attributed to the Buddha on a website dedicated to identifying fake Buddha quotes. I recalled something another friend of mine said: “Who fact-checks the fact-checkers?”

Some things we just have to take on faith, yet it’s good to keep an open mind. I think it was comedian Dennis Miller who used to close his commentaries with, “That’s just my opinion; I could be wrong.” Modesty requires us all to adopt that perspective (but I could be wrong). 

I have found it helpful to keep an open mind. How else will new information get in to be processed? I’ll admit I don’t understand people who are so cock-sure of themselves that they can’t admit to the possibility of being wrong.

I was a cop, brand new on the force. I was sitting at a light in Spokane when my light turned green. Just before I could start up, a fellow crossed in front of me. It was a clear-as-day red light violation, so I pulled him over and wrote him a citation. He was convinced the light was yellow, but I knew better. He took his ticket to court and I testified to the facts, plain and simple. 

But then the judge asked me a question for clarification. “Did you see his light? Did you see if it was red?” Now, I could have lied and said, “Yes.” But I told him the truth. “My light was green, so I knew his light had to be red.” Well, I didn’t actually see him run a red light; I’d drawn a conclusion based on what I’d seen, added to common sense, but I didn’t see him “run” a red light, as a matter of “fact.” 

“Not guilty,” declared the judge.

I learned. I became more careful in my observations. Traffic signals were designed so one could (back in those days) see (and confirm) the shade of cross-traffic lights. I hated losing my very first court case, but became a better traffic officer for it. 

That incident (and many since) have helped shape my approach to the world. I’ve learned to separate fact from assumptions. I’ve learned to step outside my bubble, to be more observant before drawing conclusions. I’ve learned to listen carefully, to engage in critical thinking so as not to be fooled or taken advantage of. I can have my well-formed opinion about things, but I could also be wrong. That’s OK here in this, our valley.

Keith Axberg writes on matters concerning life and faith. Author of: Who the Blazes is Jesus? Good News for a Vulgar World (available through Amazon in Print and e-book)