I never knew that watching cars entering a parking lot could be so entertaining. There was nothing noteworthy at first glance that morning, as a crisply uniformed man directed very light traffic at the portal to a parking structure and adjacent open lots. However, as I observed from my own vehicle, I noticed that the man was not having much success in his traffic-directing endeavor. As a car approached the parking entry, he gently waved his lighted baton toward the open lot to the right, inviting the driver to steer in that direction. The driver paused the car momentarily, seeming to be considering her options.
She let go of the brakes, and turned left instead.
Ah, a rebel, I thought. I guess she had little regard for the man's directions. Appearing flustered, this uniformed man faced the next approaching vehicle, and pointed his baton to the lot on the left. His baton motion seemed tentative, and his arms showed little range of motion as he meekly smiled at the driver.
The driver turned to the right.
I was next in line as I drove toward this hapless uniformed security guard, smiled, and exchanged greetings with him. I wasn't sure whether he actually pointed me in any particular direction as I drove up the ramp to the parking structure.
I witnessed a different kind of parking lot drama in the spring of 2007. I was a direction-challenged traveler who was trying to find the registration and expo for the Boston Marathon, and somehow walked the wrong way and ended up near Fenway Park, just minutes before a sold-out Red Sox vs Angels game. The right-side lane of the street was lined bumper-to-bumper with cars heading toward the stadium parking lot as a uniformed person directed traffic. Receiving cue from the traffic signal, the uniformed man stretched out his hand, blew his whistle, and motioned the driver in the car beside him to stop.
The car kept moving, and the driver seemed to not notice the uniformed man.
The car moved no more than two or three yards before the man sharply blew his whistle again, pointed at the driver, chased down the car, bellowed out angry words that are not fit for print, and ordered that the car be pulled over. The poor woman in the car had no choice but to comply, and parked behind a line of other vehicles that were similarly detained. Another uniformed person stood guard, standing beside a patrol vehicle with flashing lights.
Lesson for the day - you don't mess with the Boston Police Department if you're planning to watch a Red Sox game. Police officers are not private security guards. They have real authority, and they act with authority.
However, despite their formidable powers, police officers have only limited powers compared to Jesus, when he appeared on earth in human form. When he spoke the Sermon on the Mount, the people took notice:
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29)
Jesus' authority was not only affirmed by men, but also by the forces of nature when he calmed the storm that raged over the Sea of Galilee:
He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:25)
Indeed, Jesus declared to his disciples after his resurrection that he holds authority over all the universe, and that believers are being sent under his authority:
"And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
May we therefore be more than just polite, hapless Christians. Jesus has sent us by his ultimate authority to change the world.
