“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO STOP!!”
There’s a funny story that my brother-in-law enjoys telling, one where I am the one being laughed at (primarily because I am the one who was sitting in the driver’s seat when the event occurred). Go with me into your mind, see a small one-stop-light town in small-town USA. See four adults out on a drive on a beautiful day and see a younger me sitting in the driver’s seat (the seat of the vehicle I most enjoy). On this particular day, we had been enjoying a time of stories, scenery, laughter, and companionship. Little did we know that we would come away with a story that would be re-told and cause laughter for years to come.
See a simple 4-way stop.
See a flashing red light.
See a young twenty-something girl slightly slow down and continue through the flashing red light—WITHOUT STOPPING!
See another vehicle, a pick-up, coming to the 4-way stop at the same time, and observe the driver of that other vehicle (a man who definitely was enjoying a chew of tobacco because of the spittle on his cheek. Yes, we were that close, but I digress.)
See this man lean out his truck window and see his STERN expression as he yells through his open truck window, a sound that permeates into our rolled-down vehicle windows—“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO STOP!”
See the surprise upon the other driver’s face (yes, my face) & hear the eruption of laughter of the other three passengers in my vehicle as they laugh AT ME!
That story is often told around our family table at meals or whenever funny stories are told about the antics and craziness that family stories bring. Today, I want to use that precious man’s words to reflect upon God’s Truth.
On Thursday, my students were editing their final essay for the term, I shared a photo of a stoplight and turned to ask them, “What do you do when you come to a stoplight that has changed from green to yellow?”
Of course, the American students voiced the obvious, “Speed up and race to make it through the light before it turns red.” My other students who are study-abroad students, those who have lived among the “hidden” cameras that sent tickets through text messages when driving laws were broken spoke the opposite, “You slow down your speed and come to a stop.”
It’s election season. How do we know? It’s really quite simple. Place some shoes upon your feet and hop into the vehicle God has provided. Take a drive into the nearest town and drive in a way that allow for opportunities to fully stop at intersections.
I know! Oftentimes we like to try the opposite—speed up so we can hurry through the yellow lights and avoid the actual stopping; however, while paused at the stoplights, take a look around the perimeter surrounding the roadways and observe all the signage. Mingled among the “call this or call that” signage, we find other signs that attempt to encourage us to vote “for this person or that person.”
Stopping at the Intersections (within our lives) is a really important truth we need to consider today and begin to adhere. Why, we may ask, must we “STOP” whenever we can just “Slow Down” a Bit as We Continue Our Slow Roll Through Life? So Glad You Asked. The Bible Tells Us So. Please Pause to SEE God’s Word With Me.
James, the earthly half-brother of Jesus shared this truth with us that really needs to be heeded. I would like to share this truth of God through two separate Bible translations.
“This you know, my beloved brethren, But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the Word implanted, which is able to save your souls.”
(James 1: 19-21—The New American Standard)
“Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.
God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.”
(James 1: 19-21—The Message)
- Doing—this directive—from God’s Word takes practice.
- Living—this God Truth—takes self-discipline (a fruit of the Spirit “self-control”).
- Adhering—this godly life-focus—takes realizing that we share space with others in community.
Following rules of the roadways is not easy (or at least not for me). I find myself failing to completely stop at intersections.
Following rules of the written essays is not easy (or at least not for my students) because they often do not remember the many rules that need to be remembered and applied.
Following the rules and TRUTH of God’s Word is not always easy because we are a people full of sinfulness, people in need of a Savior day-by-day.
Satan wants to shake a Christian’s faith, steal our witness opportunities, hinder our testimony of God’s love, and pull us so far away from God that we FORGET TO STOP at the intersections of life God provides for us. As believers, we need to learn from God’s Holy Word and be led by God’s Holy Spirit as we are sanctified (spiritually growing and maturing as we go through life), so we will be ready for the day Jesus comes to gather us for our eternal home in heaven.
In an unbeliever’s life, Satan wants to keep them blindsided by the cares and pleasures of the world, helping them to continue walking in darkness, keeping them thinking they are in total control of their lives and do not need the Savior’s help. If Satan can keep an individual in total darkness until the person’s death, then Satan wins a precious soul remaining in an eternity of hell and forever separated from Almighty God.
Within the classroom, I never believe students should blindly follow the rules of grammar, or the rules of syntax, or the rules of documentation—just because I say so; I think they should know the WHY. In learning this truth of God, as believers, as students of the Word of God, I think we also need to trust the reason WHY.
“But He was [Jesus was] pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him [Jesus did that—for every single person].”
(Isaiah 53: 5-6)
One person puts it this way: “We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet . . . we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”—Timothy Keller.
- May we allow God to reign over our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies.
- May we be led daily by God’s Holy Spirit.
- May we live, love, and move through this world, STOPPING WHEN WE NEED TO STOP, seeing the others God has placed within our lives, and loving others in Jesus’ name.
- May we lift our hands up from the “steering wheel of our own lives,” and may we (as the psalmist) exclaim—
“I will extol You, my God, O King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.
The LORD is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
The LORD is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.”
(Psalm 145: 1-9)