A stranger staggers into town bruised and bleeding with clothes shredded. A local asks him what happened and he says, “I fell off the mountain road. That road is dangerous. They should put up a warning sign.” The local responds with a southern drawl, “They had a warning sign up for years, but nobody fell off so they took it down.” That is a very old joke from a comedy show on radio when I was a young boy, but you youngsters under 65 may not have heard it before. It illustrates the importance of warning signs and how often they are needed.
Sometimes the sign is still there, but it is confusing or we are just too busy or distracted to pay attention. There is another story that I read much more recently about two pastors from neighboring churches in Louisiana who were putting up a sign. The sign read, “Beware! The end of the road is near! Stop, repent and be saved!” A young man in a new sports car slowed down to read the sign and then yelled, “You old fools” and floored it. They heard the roar of his engine, squealing tires and a big splash. One pastor turned to the other and said, “Maybe the sign should just say, ‘Bridge out ahead!’”
God is a good Father. He warns us whenever there is danger ahead or when we are about to get into trouble. It is up to us to pay attention to His warnings and obey Him. I have found that sometimes the warning comes as a tightening in my gut that signals something isn’t right about this situation. Other times, a verse of scripture comes to mind that shines a light on what is wrong. But most of the time it is the prompting of the Holy Spirit within me with that still small voice (more accurate than Siri) that keeps me on the road to my destination and out of the ditch. God loves us and even his warnings and rebukes are given to us in love.
The key to never missing a warning or instruction from God is to have a continuous and close relationship with Him. Daily prayer time with Him and studying His word are foundational, but the real key is to take Him with you wherever you go all day long and in every circumstance that you face. He will be there by your side to protect you and guide you safely through the many mine fields we confront in this life.