Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

I have often got little laughs off of various church signs I have seen over the years. I have received emails full of cute little things to put on your church sign. Some of them were funny, and others just tried to be. Some were "preachy" and others were just silly. I never really thought much about it. Then one day I sat and thought, most people who see that sign are not Christians. How do they take the sign? In fact, that sign may be the only thing that some people base their opinion of our church on. For some, it may form their opinion of the attitude of all Christians.

That made me think that our cheesy, silly, flippant, cocky, sanctimonious, self-righteous or "smarty" know it all attitude in some of these wise cracks may actually be hurting rather than helping. They may be pushing away rather than pulling people in. What was the point of the sign? Was it to "tell people off" in a cute way? Will we really convict a soul in 20 words 0r less? Was it to see which church could come up with the most clever pun? Or was the sign there to announce who we are and what we are doing in order to draw people in?

Ephesians 5:15-16 "Be very careful, then, how you live; not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

Will this really convict anyone? Is this a good use of this space. Would service times or announcements about upcoming out reach programs be more powerful? Would the theme of the sermon next Sunday be more inviting?

Is this going to bring people into the church? Does this make the church seem intelligent? Does this make it seem that this church is serious about saving souls or does it give the idea that they are silly and flippant about their ministry?

God is our wireless provider? I love puns but most people don't. I always notice when I tell a pun the reaction is not laughter but "ohhhhhh... that was bad." Do we want people to read our church sign and say, "Ohhhhhhh.... that was a bad"???

Back to Heaven? Have we been there once already? This doesn't even make sense. Notice, you can't read the service times because they are smooshed together to make room for some silly statement that wont draw anyone. I can't read the times staring at it for several minutes. If I drove by in a car, there would be no way. It's a waste.

Is being the smallest really something you want to brag about? And it's no wonder they are the smallest. Look at the disrepair of the sign. It's name even characterizes it. Memory Park Christs chapel? Yeah, the day when it was a growing thriving body of Christ is only a memory. Wow, I don't know why they are still the smallest. I mean with all the love and devotion to God they have put into the care of this sign.

Is insulting everyone by calling them Turkeys really the way to spur one another on to love and good deeds? Why would I want to come to a church called me a turkey? I am sure the members were really laughing at how funny and clever that was. Too bad there were no visitors that Thanksgiving.

And then there are the signs that really make us look stupid because they are worded in such a way that they say something the sign maker never intended. Many would read this as, "Don't let worries kill you let the church help to kill you." That makes the church look like a joke. Another church sign I saw myself once said, "Mary Christmas" It made the church look stupid.

One of my biggest pet-peevess is when people put words in God's mouth. There is no Bible verse where God says, "Do you know where you are going?" We have no knowledge that He ever said that. So to put that up as his quote is to misquote God. It is a very serious and dangerous thing. I have seen billboards that say, "That love your neighbor thing... I was serious about that -God" It is wrong to add to or take away from God's word. Don't ever use your church sign to have God saying something He didn't say.

These clever little saying just make us look trite and the one above make it look like all they want is peoples money. We need to be very careful what we put on our church signs. We need to be wise in how we act toward outsiders and make the most of every opportunity. Does your church sign say something that draws in or drives way? Does it inform or insult? Does it encourage or estrange? Does it make you seem caring or crass? Does it make you look knowledgable or like a know it all. Before you blow me off, think about it.

Go the Extra 3,520 Cubits

"Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two." (Matthew 5:41 NASB)

How many times has this happened to you? You're minding your own business when someone approaches you and requires you to walk a mile.

Never?

Well, it was common in Jesus' day. A person could be hard at work slashing grass in his field when a soldier would approach and demand that the person carry a load of "soldier stuff" for a mile. By law, the citizen was required to comply. At the end of that mile, the soldier would release the citizen to return to his field, and find someone else nearby to stop what they were doing to carry the stuff the next mile.

Surely no one enjoyed having to give up precious time needed for growing the family food in order to imitate a pack mule. No doubt the reaction to such an order was visible disdain and complaint at having been chosen. Many, after having gone the grueling mile, likely stomped back to where they started, saying a few colorful words before resuming their work.

Jesus' instruction? The Christian must be different.

Rather than griping and belly-aching, the servant of the Lord was to cheerfully accompany the soldier and bear the load. And...at the end of the mile he was to smile and say, "Why don't we go one more?" The effect of this was to show others that there was something radically different about those who wore the name of Christ.

There will unlikely be such a request made of you by a soldier. But your boss may want to give you an unpleasant task. Your neighbor may ask a favor that messes up your schedule. The way of the world is to comply, but give polite but unmistakeable cues that you'd rather not. The way of God's servant is to testify of the change that's been made within by cheerfully doing more than what's asked.