A grainy letter appeared in the mailbox. It was attached to a threatening letter. It was very unnerving and a little scary. It felt like a blackmail letter from the movies. They told me that they were preparing to turn me over to a collection agency. That they would boot or tow my car all “across North America.” They acted like they could track me wherever I go. They threatened escalating financial fees. If I would just pay the money, all this would go away. Just a few dollars to buy peace.
There was no phone number to call, no person to talk to, just an anonymous website. “If the attached ticket was issued in error” you can submit “evidence.” So much for innocent until proven guilty. I, however, had already presented evidence. The company had already written me telling me that the ticket had been voided. I still have the email.
I was in New Orleans for the Baylor game. On the morning we were leaving we parked in a pay lot. I signed into the pay app and paid an amount that I thought was outrageous. My good friend was standing next to me. He was dong the same thing. We talked about the amount as we walked to get beignets. Then we returned to our cars and headed home. I didn’t think anything of it until February when the first threatening letter arrived. I submitted my “evidence” I offered my friend to give testimony and they wrote back that the ticket had been voided.
Now they have come back seeking more money, threatening booting and towing all across America, but the ticket has already been “forgiven.” The debt has already been paid. This is Satan’s strategy. He tires to pull up old grudges, old lapses, old sin and remind you of them. He seeks to make you feel threatened. He tires to drag up the old charges against you. This is the game of shame and guilt and unforgiveness. It is the sense that you are not really clean, that grace is not enough and that you must pay again and again to be set free. It is a denial of the sufficiency of Christ and the certainty of the atoning work of Jesus.
I sent back a copy of the forgiveness letter. I am waiting for their reply. My hunch is that their business model is based on harassment and they conveniently forgot the letter they sent me. They are hoping I will pay so that it will go away, but Im willing to wait. I’ll keep sending them the evidence that the debt has been paid. i will not be surprised if somewhere down the way a boot appears on this vehicle and I have to go through a huge hassles, because they seem committed to the path of harassment and not the truth. Just like the devil. Jesus never promises us we will go through the world untouched. He does say is standing right by our side and whispering in our ear, “Don’t listen to them. You are loved, you are forgiven. I paid the price for you. Listen to my voice not theirs.”