Signs and Signals

So, I'm sitting at a train crossing . . . waiting on a train to cross. Signal arms are down. Lights are flashing (both those beside the track, those above the track and those on the crossing arms). Traffic is backing up. The air horn on the engine of the train is blowing loudly and getting louder as it approaches the crossing. There are curbs on the street, not only to make the road look nice but to provide a definite appearance as to what is the road and what is not the road. Suddenly, the driver of a pick-up truck decides he cannot figure out what all the fuss is about and decides to drive over the curbed area that separates lanes, around the crossing arms and across the train tracks! All this with a train barreling down at about 30-40 mph! What a no-brainer . . . the driver, not the decision! I also saw people on the other side of the intersection get out of their cars to wave and yell at the truck driver, pointing to the approaching train, trying to warn him. Thr truck drivers response, to just keep on driving. I don't think that I have ever seen sparks coming out from under a locomotive before. And I'm sure there was something else coming out of the mouth of the engineer of the train, but we'll not go there. Fortunately, there was not a collision, but it was oh so close.

I cannot figure out why that driver decided that he did not have to abide by all the signs and signals that were warning him of the impending danger. Besides the danger that he posed to himself there was also the danger that others could have been harmed physically had there been a collision. What of the mental anguish that could have happened to those who would have been a witness to the accident? What about the emergency personnel who would have had to pick up the pieces of the incident? And finally, what about those members of the families of those who would have been involved in the accident?

Those signs and signals around the intersection were put there for a reason, to warn of the possibility of impending danger. And yet this person chose to ignore them.

In addition to the things mentioned that tell us of the train crossing, there are also painted on the roadway before the crossings thick white lines along with thick white X's with big white 'RR' letters. At some intersections there are rumble strips that attract our attention. Along with these signs, on the side of the roadway are other signs placed there by the highway department that tell us of the approaching crossing.

I couldn't help but think about how this relates to us and the dangers of sin that are all around us in out lives. There are signs and signals that constantly warn us of danger. These warnings can be obvious, not so obvious and at times are very subtle, but they are very real. We must always be aware of our surroundings and looking out for danger wherever it may be or wherever it may come from. We must be ready to react and act to find safety. Why do you think school buses, other forms of public transportation and some large semi-trucks usually stop at all 'RR' tracks? It is for the safety of themselves and those around them. It's a funny thing about sin . . . it affects not only us but those around us, as well. Once it gets ahold of us, it does not let go until we firmly resist it or until it is through with us.

Some random thoughts from a happenstance occurance. Those are my thoughts. What are yours. Share with me.