ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Call it a speed bump-er sticker.

Dennis and Cindy Kovac, concerned when their daughter collected her second speeding ticket, issued a warning—to other drivers.

They put a bumper sticker on her car that reads, “If I’m Speeding, Call My Parents,” and lists the family’s phone number. …

So far at least at the time of the publication of this article!, there have been no calls and no more speeding tickets—just a little ribbing from schoolmates.

Her parents are pleased with the results.

“That sticker may save some lives,” Cindy Kovac said.

A school teacher shares a story of the lasting impact and influence of "loving" correction ...

He was in the first third grade class I taught as Saint Mary's School in Morris, Minnesota. All thirty-four of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million. Very neat in appearance, he had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.

Mark also talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was unacceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving--"Thank you for correcting me, Sister!"

One morning my patience was growing thin …. "If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!"

It wasn't ten seconds later when he was talking again. … Since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it. … I tore off two pieces of masking tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room.

As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That did it! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark's desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister."

Sister Helen would go on to teach Mark again in High School. Mark wasn't as talkative as he was in grade school, but he and the other boys were nonetheless mischievous and often in need of correction. 

Years later, Sister Helen was informed that Mark Eklund was killed in Vietnam. She was asked by his family to speak at his funeral. She was surprised, but more than willing to go and share what she remembered of that mischievous little boy.

There she learned that this young man whom she'd not seen in many years had often spoken of her and their time together in grade school and high school. She had left a lasting, loving impression on him. In fact, a memento of his school days with her (an assignment from 9th grade listing all his positive attributes) was found in his pocket upon his death.

"All I could think at that moment," said Sister Helen, "was, Mark, I would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me." 

"Ephesians 4:15 teaches that we are to be 'speaking the truth in love,' but that's hard to do. We have a great deal of trouble keeping our balance. We want to either speak the truth without love, or we want to speak love without the truth."

Max Anders, is a former college seminary professor, who has pastored for over twenty years. He is the author of over twenty books and was the creator and general editor of the 32 volume Holman Bible Commentary series. In addition to his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Seminary, he has an earned doctorate from Western Seminary.