The Stop Sign

Background: I just picked up the kids and we’re driving down a side street approaching a stop sign. I look over in my right side mirror just at the moment a vehicle rear ends the car behind me. No no one was hurt and the 2 cars pulled over the side of the road. I get to the stop sign and make a left. I’m so busy thinking about what could have been distracting that driver that I go flying through a stop sign at a four-way intersection. As I crossed the intersection and it dawned on me what I had done, I was ashamed for being neglectful of the traffic sign, I was shaken because I could have hit another car and I was apologetic to the others that had to wait while I just ran the stop sign.

Pretty long background but I wanted to illustrate this in a way that I can easily correspond to the subject. Running stop signs can be intentional or not intentional. Some people run stop signs because they have no regard for other people or think they can get away with breaking the law. Others do this because they are distracted or the sign is not visible. Stop signs alert us to oncoming traffic and regulate the flow of traffic in places where traffic signals aren’t warranted. So are there stop signs in our lives that we intentionally or unintentionally run through?

Most definitely. How often do we hear of people putting off marriage, waiting to have children , or delaying major life changes with the thought that these things will delay or hinder their success. We have trusted people in our lives who tell us to slow down, take care of ourselves, and we continue on our way, not taking heed to their words. Our bodies tell us to stop at times and we ignore the signs and symptoms of illness from the wear and tear we put on our physical frame. We can even pray, hear from God on certain issues in our lives, and decide that His answer is not the one we want and create our own way that ultimately ends in defeat.

The first 9 verses of Proverbs 31 is a warning from a mother, with instructions to stop certain actions as well as the results of continuing to do the wrong thing or choosing to do the right thing. We all come to intersections in life, some seem insignificant to us while others are huge and have the capacity to change our lives. Stopping to address the life issues that demand our attention may send us in directions that we did not plan for, but we must trust that God can and will direct our path. When we ignore the intersections or fail to see the signs that one is ahead, there is always a chance of collision which could lead to serious injury or death. So it is important to listen and keep your eyes open when you are approaching an intersection of life.

Distractions can sometimes cause us to miss stop signs. This is a sign that we have too much going on and need to declutter our lives and cut back on extracurricular activities. Sometimes we just choose to ignore the signs, symptoms, people and events that flash red lights at us. This is a dangerous position to be in as you are allowing none of your lifelines to work for you. When there is dysfunction in our bodies or our life, there are always warning signs. Sometimes they are hard to see on our own and this is why we have people who love us that can help us to see when we cannot. Sometimes collisions happen, but we must be alert and vigilant  with our lives to minimize damages and loss.

References: Proverbs 31:1-9