~ by Terry Walters
Exodus 15:25-26; Psalm 34:7
There's an old saying about good fences making good neighbors.
Seems to me that says good fences force others
to leave ‘you and yours’ alone, and then calls that good neighboring.
I don't know about that, but I do know
that many times, good fences are about safety.
They deter bad things and people. They keep our kids and pets
inside our yard and out of harm's way.
We played baseball in our backyard when we were young.
There was an alley, then the neighbor’s fence.
If the ball was hit over the fence, it was a home run!
But then we would have to climb over the fence
or squeeze through a broken-down area
to go find the ball and retrieve it.
The lady who lived alone back there
used to yell at us to get out of her yard.
We responded in a variety of ways - fear, distrust, and running away.
I have to confess that we did not think very kindly
or friendly toward her and sometimes acted accordingly.
But as an adult, I had an occasion to visit with her in her home.
We reminisced and she explained that she was so afraid we kids
would get hurt that she just couldn't allow us to trespass.
The sheds were getting dilapidated, the fence was broken in places,
the yard was overgrown with weeds, and there was junk strewn around.
She just couldn't keep up with it all.
The fence was there to keep her big collie dog safe at home
and to keep us kids safely out of the mess.
It was about care and protection,
not depriving us of pleasure or getting our baseballs back.
In fact, she would go looking for the balls and
throw them over the fence to our yard!
God's laws and principles are fences.
He isn't depriving us of pleasure or blessings. He is protecting us!
Breaking His commands leads to harm, disease, even death.
Keeping His commands - staying on our side of the fence -
leads to peace, safety, and life.
Your choice - but know that choices have consequences.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for caring so much for us
that You have continually worked in and around us
to protect us from evil and the consequences of our sins and mistakes.
Thank You for the fences of rules and laws and godly principles
that keep us in line with Your ways and protect us from our enemies.
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