JUST FOLLOW THE SIGN

We were at the corner of Chestnut and Broadway. Waiting in a line of traffic that seemed busy for even a Saturday, we stared across the street and looked at the lady on the corner. She was an elderly person wearing a floral dress and a pink and white hat. She covered her face from the sun by using an umbrella to shade her eyes. But it wasn’t just the fact that she was on the street corner that caught our attention. It was the sign that she carried and her actions. The sign said Allen’s Shoes and a large arrow pointed the direction to the shop. But there was no way to determine which way to go. The elderly lady slowly turned in circles, sometimes going in clockwise pattern and then reversing the direction.

The scene caught the attention of many people who had to stop at the intersection. It seemed comical at first just watching this lady rotate the sign. Then the reality set in that someone was so lost that she had no real sense of direction. How did she manage to get safely through the maze of streets to that particular corner? Had someone simply dropped her off at the corner? Did she have family and if so where were they? It seemed sad that someone was so lost that she had no real sense of direction. Her thinking was clouded and it seemed apparent that she probably had some type of mental problem.

For quite some time when we returned the lady was still at the street corner. And each time she moved around in the same circular pattern with the sign held in her hands. She became the topic of talk and although we never knew what happened, on one visit to the city she was no longer at the street giving directions.

For me, it gave me an insight into our own life and how much we need a focus and sense of direction to help meet our goals. We may make plans for our lives but often those plans are changed along our journey in life. Jeremiah 10:23 “I know O Lord that a man’s life is not his own, it is not for man to direct his steps.” We may think that we can control our life but God has a pathway for us to follow. Proverbs 20:24 “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?” God’s control of our lives gives precedence over own will.

One of my favorite passages is Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” So many times in my own life I have been certain that I knew exactly what direction I felt was right for me. And time and time again God changes that direction and brought me to a place where I could grow and mature in my Christian life. In many cases I didn’t fully realize what God was trying to accomplish through my own life, but I had to trust Him. That’s the key to living a Christian life; trust Him with your life and He will give you the right direction. There is no real reason to turn around and around haphazardly when He is at the center of our lives.