I love the show “Highway Patrol,” starring Broderick Crawford as Dan
Mathews, as head of the Highway Patrol. Each week for three years, 1955-58, he
solved crimes in 30 minutes that today would take months or years. Using basic
police techniques, accompanied by his trademark “10-4” he and his trusty group
of patrolman kept the nation safe until next week. A true cult following has
been established, and even a “10-4 Day,” each October 4th, 10-4, is held on
Hollywood Blvd. to celebrate police cars from TV and film. With the highlight
being meeting Larry Wilcox, aka Jon Baker from CHiP’s! Riding an old Kawasaki
police bike, sadly Mr. Mathews is long gone. But his shows continue, and I
wonder sometimes, where is Dan Mathews when we need him? How would the world be
different if we all lived in a 10-4 world? Would we call him Dan, never heard
by that name, Mr. Mathews, or 2150? Maybe we miss him more than we know.
But two crimes I know of that have never been solved, at least to my
knowledge, could have used Dan’s attention. The first was when I was in high
school. We hung out at a Gulf station where my friend was the night manager.
Some wild times happened after the owner went home, what car crazy high school
kid wouldn’t love a free lift to work on? Air tools? Free gas, “I’ll get you
on payday,” aka my next allowance. But the owner was a tough old dude, who
never busted anyone, but made life hard for us. We were always on guard for
him, as we really weren’t supposed to be there. But after one particular
chewing out, my friend decided to get even. To embarrass him, and make him look
bad. So he took the cash register, leaving all the cash and coins sitting on
the counter, perfectly neat. Knowing that his boss’s ego would never let him
report a stolen cash register, but not the cash. And to my knowledge nothing
was ever said, just a new cash register showed up later that day. Maybe the
perfect crime, only because it was never recorded. And one never seen on
Highway Patrol. But somehow I know that if it had been reported, within 30
minutes Dan Mathews would have it solved.
But my favorite is a car story, told before. Bill Mitchell, head of GM
styling in the 1960’s, who brought us the split window Sting Ray, the Riviera,
and others, was an avid fisherman. His prize catch, a Mako Shark hung over his
desk. And you can see the influence in the C3 Corvettes, from 1968-82, and also
the show car, appropriately named the Mako Shark. But one assignment given to
his design team was to paint the car identical to the real shark. After
numerous tries, and under threat of termination, the crew was out of paint
mixes, and one guy jokingly suggested, “why don’t we paint the fish to match the
car?” Jokingly he had come up with the only solution, but it would take a bit
of trickery. But working overnight, they pulled it off, and showing up late the
next morning found Mitchell thrilled. His team had pulled it off, they had
matched the car perfectly to the fish, or so he thought. They were the best
design team in the business. He was so proud of them. Really they had matched
the fish to the car... and legend has it he never found out. Another urban
legend, and a crime, if one had really been committed would have been discovered
and solved on Highway Patrol. But was there really a crime? Or had they just
given their boss what he demanded?
Known but only to God, many think they have gotten away with their crimes.
We find both crimes of commission, and crimes of omission in the Bible. From
the first murder, and death, Cain killing his brother as long as he was Able, to
Moses and the Egyptian, to David and Uriah. David, maybe the most famous and
well known of all Biblical kings, not only committed murder, but adultery. It
seems when we sin, or believe we may get caught, we add more sin to cover our
tracks. Making them easier to follow ultimately. But after a affair with
Bathsheba, he has Uriah her husband sent to the front, to have him killed in
battle, cleverly disguised as such, to cover his sin with Uriah’s wife. Two
sins worthy of death under Mosaic law, but we find David described as “a man
after God’s own heart.” David sinned big time, as we do, only his sins were
reported for all time in scripture. But he loved God and asked forgiveness.
And while some choose to emphasize David’s sin, God chooses to forgive it. To
focus on forgiveness, redemption,and salvation rather than death. He sends
Jesus to make the way back to him, for the forgiveness of our sins. And
although we sin everyday, and will again tomorrow, we are forgiven. When we
turn to Christ, and have a heart after God. Like David did. God forgives all
sins, the record is wiped clean, and we are entered into the book of life.
Forever. Yet the one sin, the only one standing between us an salvation,
denying the urging of the Holy Spirit to be saved through Jesus Christ, is the
one we have the most trouble with. If we can get past that one, and trust Jesus
with our eternal rest, why can’t we trust him with our other sins? Why can’t we
forgive others? Why can’t we forgive ourselves? Maybe the hardest thing to
do. But we find as we forgive ourselves, we forgive others more easily, and the
fruit of the spirit dwells in us. So why get hung up on sin, when we can be
forgiven? isn’t grace better than damnation? Scripture tells us obedience is
better than sacrifice....do we really have a heart after God like David?
The only sin that separates us from Jesus is denying his deity.
Recognizing him as a teacher, profit, healer, or revolutionary are OK, but none
lead to salvation. Only recognizing Jesus, repenting, and letting God change
your heart will save you. Not joining a church or Bible study, not chanting or
passing out papers door to door. No new scripture or word from God will save
you. Only Jesus. There are no perfect crimes, but there is forgiveness from
sin. Perfection found in Jesus, where there is no deception, and all is laid
bare. No secret sin, all sins, whether of omission,”I didn’t know it was a
sin,” and sins of commission, are forgiven at the cross. Forgiveness found at
the cross, Jesus taking our place, serving our sentence. Presenting us to a
loving God, the one whose heart David was after, as clean and pure. All crimes
solved and forgiven. Sentences pardoned.
In a perfect world we will not need police. Or soldiers. We will be at
peace with God, where the lion will sit with the lamb, and sinners saved by
grace among them. No crimes or sin to talk about as they will not exist, only
grace and the presence of a loving God await us. But for the lost, a final
judgment,where all the sins will be noted. True justice will be served, and we
all will face eternity. Some seek to pull off the perfect crime, I prefer
seeking perfection in Christ. Long after we are gone, Christ will still be
here. Where we serve our sentence, guilty or saved is up to us. We can choose
Jesus and be found innocent, or face eternal damnation. The wages of sin will
always be death...except for those in Christ.
Dan Mathews solved crime, Jesus came to forgive crime. Both spent their
lives chasing criminals, only Jesus sought to forgive. Your sin will find you
out, your Dan Mathews is out looking to catch and convict you. Only Jesus
saves. What would Dan Mathews do? Better yet, what will you do? There is no
statute of limitations on sin. “2150-bye.”
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com