Roadway of Life

Posted

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

As I write my thoughts down I go back to something that really touched me. It happened just a couple of weeks ago and I still go back to it. I shouldn’t be surprised since it was such an emotional experience especially for one person.

I was on my way south on Hobart and was coming to the stop light at Foster St. and preparing to go underneath the railroad tracks. I looked to the middle part and there was a woman sitting beside a dog lying on the cement. I slowed down as I saw her crying uncontrollably and all the while reaching out to the dog.

I couldn’t stop because of the traffic but slowed down even more as I saw her pick up the dog and cross to the west side of the road, then begin walking to the north. I have no idea what the circumstances were that brought this moment up for her, but I know she was truly struggling with what had happened.

Things happen when we get out on the road and at times those things truly cause us a struggle. This woman was truly beside herself as she carried this dog off the street and probably to a place where she could lay it to rest. Her pain was great as she moved along.

As you and I move up and down the highway we call life, there are many things we must watch for as we travel along. As we make our way along, we come upon things in our path. We choose whether to swerve around them or hit them. We assess the things in the middle of the road then make our decision.

Sometimes we may choose to go around contention so that we can have ‘harmony’. At times we bear down on a bad attitude only to find out we never dealt with the anger left behind. Then there is bitterness lying there but we decide to go around it and run over forgiveness.

We often concentrate on the bigger things that are lying in the roadways of life and consequently find ourselves missing the smaller things God has placed before us. Of course, part of the problem is that we only glance at what is right in front of us. It is much simpler than seeing the whole picture.

In John 6:1-14 we find John’s account of the feeding of the five thousand. I am intrigued by v. 9. Andrew said, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” I believe Andrew had a lot of insight, but in this moment he stood before the Master and could only see the ‘many people’ and was unable to see the significance of the five loaves and two fish.

It is necessary that we learn to look at those things that are important and not have our ‘eye sight’ clouded by the others issues. I dare say that it is not always the big things that cloud our ‘eye sight’. At times it is because of the little things that cause us to overlook something that is very important. While Andrew saw the ‘many people’, the five loaves and two fish impacted his sight.

As we travel the roadways of life we must be aware of what is in front of us. It is important that we get the whole picture and not allow our ‘sight’ to be clouded by one thing or another. We might see a woman that is struggling because of what happened to her dog and fail to see the car in front of us as they slow down.

As we travel across the roadways of life, we must be aware of what is in front of us. Seek to make sure everything in the road is in your sight and remember that many times the big things can cloud your sight on what is important.

JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, there IS something about that name!

Christ only, always,

Bro. Paul

Brother Paul Nachtigall is the preacher at Highland Baptist Church. He can be reached at bropaul@centramedia.net.