They didn’t slow down.  They didn’t hesitate.  They just blew right through the stop sign.

My porch faces a parking lot. I know, it doesn’t sound like a very good view.

But there are some nice tall pine and palm trees scattered about, so it’s not all pavement.  I was sitting out on the porch one afternoon a while back, and watched with astonishment how many cars just plowed right through one of the stop signs at the end of the lot.

Admittedly, one can see clearly whether there is anything to stop for, but that’s not the point.  The powers-that-be decided that a stop sign should be there.  And therefore, cars should stop.

I bet the stop-sign ignorers stopped the first time they drove through that parking lot.  I bet they stopped obediently, looked both ways and then proceeded.  And then I bet they realized there was hardly ever anyone coming the other direction, and even if they were, they’d be able to see them long before they got to the sign and other people didn’t stop and nothing bad has ever happened.

Yet.

One of these days the reason for the stop sign will become evident.  One of these days we’ll know why they put that stop sign there to begin with.  And let’s hope no one gets hurt – or worse.

God gives us stop signs in life, too.  And at first we obediently stop.  And then sometimes we look around and we don’t see any danger coming and we argue about why the stop sign is there to begin with and other people are ignoring the stop sign and nothing seems to be happening to them.  And so, we begin to go right through it.  And we might get to the point where we’re not even cautious.  We don’t even care about the stop sign anymore.

But one of these days the reason for the stop sign God put up will be evident.   And we might get hurt because we didn’t stop.  Someone else might get hurt because we didn’t stop.  We should have stopped like we used to, but we didn’t. 

If God says stop, then stop.  Don’t ask questions. Don’t compare yourself to others who don’t stop. 

Just obey the signs.

You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice;  Deuteronomy 13:4

Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.            Psalm 119:133

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Psalm 32:8

Therefore you shall obey the voice of the LORD your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.                              Deuteronomy 17:10

Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. Jeremiah 7:23