November 15
DebDay 246: Yard Signs
Inspiration is not hard to come by here in Juneau, Alaska. It's just that Juneau has a particular bent for what constitutes inspirational transference.
Yard signs. Not the election cycle signs we drove by in recent months, now removed, we hope. No, our most trusted vehicle for inspiring and educating our public are the signs that remain.
"Wash Your Hands." Or the better version says, "Covid is in Your Hands. Wash them." Cynical me then responds with, "Wow! Thank you! I was previously so unaware!"
Not to be outdone, our public libraries have covered large windows with equally inspiring messages on the same topic. Just to help drivers if they happen to be looking up, instead of looking sideways at the lawns they drive by.
And not to be outdone by anyone, the University of Alaska, facing a massive budget shortfall, responded with...wait for it...yard signs. Hashtag UASTRONG. Genius of the highest order, you'll agree.
Juneau seems to lead western society in inspirational yard signs. I wonder if our city assembly ever considers any alternatives before responding to any new crisis in any other way than producing more signs. (Especially since our city does not allow roadside billboards.)
"Hey, we didn't get any tourist revenue this year! Let's respond with yard signs." "We're into a long term mental health crisis! Our best response must be yard signs." "Our high school graduation rates are too low. Yard signs will fix that!" "Our citizens may not be eating enough vegetables! Yard signs should do the trick!"
Christians are not exempt from or immune to the lure of yard signs. Some old school saints may have the Ten Commandments on a yard sign. Or the holidays may include a full on nativity scene, next to their inflated reindeer (as a sign of protest), or a "Don't take Christ out of Christmas" sign (as a battle cry.)
I wonder what the Israelites thought they were communicating to their Egyptian neighbors when they painted blood on their front door posts for their last night in town? The blood was a sign of something to them, for sure.
I wonder what I would make into a yard sign, if yard signs were legally required to continue one's legal citizenship in Juneau?
May I suggest this (at least to myself): Hebrews 10:17 (quoted from Jeremiah 31:34.) "I [God] will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."
This would communicate to my neighbors, and anyone driving by that I was self-aware; aware enough that I was (am) a habitual sinner deserving nothing good from God. Yet, through the blood sacrifice of Jesus on my behalf, my sins no longer count against me. God now chooses not to remember my sins, my lawless deeds any longer.
That would be inspirational to me. Because the truth of that verse is inspirational for me.
I'm just not yet convinced that yard signs are necessarily the best way to communicate that. Maybe my observable devotion to the Lord who chose to save me might be better, eh?
(Post Script: I will be leaving for Fairbanks in the morning, to serve our Radiant Church there. Back to writing stuff on Friday.)
-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church Juneau
