Stop and Go Traffic

Each year we take our kids to the Jaffa Shrine Circus in my hometown of Altoona.  We never had a problem with traffic, but this year was different.  Traffic was backed up several miles through town.  It was almost time for the show to begin and we were inching forward with a long way to go.  We had gone back and forth questioning if we should get out of the line and try a different route.  Each time, we’d inch ahead and decide to stay.  I called my parents and they advised us to stay where we were because we had the right of way.  Traffic was now at a standstill.  The show would begin in just 10 minutes and at the rate we were going, we would be lucky to see half of it.  As I thought about what we should do, I decided we would get out of the traffic line - there was no chance of making it if we stayed.  We placed our chances on taking the roads through the city houses.  I kept my eyes on the Jaffa and we navigated our way through a series of right and left turns.  Within five minutes we entered the parking lot with nothing to slow us down but a few stop signs!  We made it to our seats just in time for the show to begin!

We’ve all had to deal with waiting in a traffic jam but how closely this relates to our spiritual journeys.  Too often, we begin our journey with the Lord with the best of intentions.  We enter “Jesus” into our navigations and we set off in that direction.  Then somewhere along that route we find ourselves “stuck in traffic”.  We find ourselves no longer looking to Jesus for guidance but to those around us instead.  We follow the crowd as they seemingly make there way to the same destination.  We sit in spiritual stop and go traffic, inching our way to our goal.  Stuck there, people grow impatient, they begin complaining, they question God - be it His existence or His goodness and it is a miserable place to be.

God desires so much more for our lives that to be sitting, stagnant in society, unmoving in our churches, following everyone else and waiting for “God to show up”.  God desires us to blaze our own trail.  We need to set our eyes on Jesus and do whatever it takes to get to Him.  Don’t be satisfied with what those around you (family, friends, church, etc) are doing!  Get out of that line and take a chance on the path Jesus has laid before you!

“Do not conform to this world but be transformed but the renewing of your mind…”  Romans 12:2

“Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.”  Matthew 7:13