“Nemo me impune lacessit.” That Latin sentence is inscribed on medallions that honor police officers killed in the line of duty. Last night I attended a banquet of Peace Officers Ministries, an organization that supports chaplains to police departments. The banquet speaker was Mrs. Stephanie Abernethy. Her husband, Houston police officer Timothy S. Abernethy, was killed in the line of duty on December 7, 2008. “Nemo me impune lacessit” means, “No one provokes me with impunity.”
God instituted government for our protection and so an attack on an officer is an attack on all our safety. Because Officer Abernethy had followed procedures and methodically recorded relevant information before he encountered the suspect, that suspect has been convicted and is on death row. “No one provokes me without impunity.”
Mrs. Abernethy said, “My tragedy has already become a beautiful thing.” Not only was earthly justice done for sin, but injustice provokes God to come down with His Word, His Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword. Through that Word God judges, forgives, helps, and gives the hope of Christ. With the help of Peace Officer Ministries, Mrs. Abernethy has distributed some 2,500 Bibles to Houston police officers and many of those Bibles have changed lives. “Nemo me lacessit.” God’s Word does not return empty. (Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 55:11)
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