Pulled Over But Poised

Published February 25, 2015

Two nights ago while taking one of my students home, I was pulled over by two Warren Michigan police vehicles for “allegedly” speeding (35 in a 30 mph zone). My student says, “You weren’t speeding.” I tell him, “This is not the time to be emotional Jay, and it’s truly irrelevant why they pulled us over. I just want you to observe the officer’s hands when he comes to my car.” When I greeted the white Police Officer, smiled and handed him my credentials, he and the other officer’s hands were shaking as they examined my vehicle with their flashlights. At that moment, I knew they were nervous, so I controlled the situation with my calmness (Pro 16:32). The officer comes back without a speeding ticket because my driving record was excellent, but he issued me a ticket for impeding traffic (no points). Although I strongly disagreed with this $170 ticket and could’ve argued with the police officer, I instead heeded Wisdom because the officer is not a Judge and my car is not a courtroom. I will to set a court date to dispute this ticket this week.

I’m so thankful that God gives wisdom to those that seek it and my years of combative training that emphasized principle (the why) over technique (the how). Whether right or wrong, I did not allow the officer’s actions to shake me, and I taught my student a potentially life saving lesson on how to interact with Law Enforcement, regardless of their skin color.

DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately my black brothers and sons, remaining poised when pulled over will not guarantee we will live, but it’s still wise to implement this discipline.

Shalom Aleichem,
Jason Wilson
Founder/CEO
The Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy