Set A Godly Example
Six months after moving into our home our weather-box started alarming that Jasper County was under a tornado warning.
According to the National Weather Service, the storm was nearing our home. Immediately, it started raining heavily. Next, the high winds and hail came. As quickly as it arrived, it was over.
Had we had a storm-shelter, it would have been of no use. We had no time to react. Fortunately, the storm did not produce a tornado for us, but it did touch down in Newborn.
After the storm, in order to look outdoors, we had to push the door open with a little force because of the hail. Once we did this, we could smell the scent of pine trees strong in the air. We saw little holes in the siding of our home from the hail.
A highway sign lay in our front yard. No one would know where to turn onto Henderson Mill road because the sign was in our yard. I placed it back out by the post to which it was previously attached. Highway workers eventually placed it back on the post, only to have mowers come along months later and knock it down again.
For years there was no sign letting folks know where Henderson Mill road intersected with Georgia Hwy. 11. How the southbound sign disappeared I haven’t a clue. I only know the history of the northbound sign and its absence for years.
In March I contacted the Department of Transportation regional office. After leaving a message, my call was returned in a few days. A few days later I had the opportunity to express my desire to have these signs replaced. The DOT came out and days later our intersection signs for Henderson Mill road were back up alerting drivers where to turn onto Henderson Mill road.
The scripture that came to mind for me while going through this experience was: Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
In life, we are the road-signs for our children and young people. It is our responsibility to help them know about the intersections they may encounter in life and which way to turn or avoid turning.
It may be that we can tell them which way to turn or avoid turning because we have entered the same intersection in life and made the wrong turn. Or, maybe we can tell young people which way to turn or avoid turning because the Word of God tells us specifically which path to take.
It pains me to think that I have been a wrong sign for others in life at different points and times. I hope it pains you as well when you have misdirected someone thinking that one way was acceptable when it was not.
The good news is that God forgives us and gives us more opportunities to be better signs to others in the future. His word says: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
As we go forward in our lives, let us make sure that we are better signs to the children and youth around us so that they may be directed toward the Lord both now and for eternity.