The Sign
If you travel northbound in EDSA, I believe you already saw the neon sign “Jesus Alone Saves” in a building located along the major thoroughfare in Guadalupe, Makati. The sign has been there for more than six years, from a simple painted sign to its present brightly-colored neon form three times its original size. Because of it, many mistook the building for a church (No, it housed an outdoor advertising company.) There are people who even called for counseling.
Last December 2008, Paolo Lorenzana, a columnist of the Philippine Star daily newspaper, featured the sign, “electric evangelism” as he put it. He labeled it “Literally, the Holy Grail of signs along EDSA”. He also wrote, “Amid all the fleeting consumerist suggestions that appear overhead along EDSA, the ‘JESUS’ sign’s become more a reflection of the truth, the way and the life… A sign can do that to you — stop you in your tracks and remind you of how far you’ve come as well.” People do notice those signs with spiritual messages including the “In God We Trust” neon signs on top of Cityland condominiums and those inspiring quips flashed on the big LCD screens or posted on big billboards along the major highway like “Keep using my name in vain. I’ll make rush hour worse.”
I believe our lives are also a sign. The question now is what message are we flashing? People do notice our words and works. They pay attention not so much to what we declare with our lips but much more to what we disclose with our lives. The Lord told us, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14, 16, NIV) Seekers see our works before they hear our words. Our works can either confirm or cancel our words. As the saying goes, “Walk your talk.” The columnist wrote, “One sign of effective signage is that you remember what it brings to mind”. What do we bring to people’s minds? Do we make people stop on their hurried and harried tracks and reflect on our Savior? Or, are we sending the wrong signals? This New Year let us make it our resolve to become the message we share. Let us invest our lives in building relationships with seekers so we could invite them to our church and introduce them to our Lord.
Brethren, we are God’s signage.
Last December 2008, Paolo Lorenzana, a columnist of the Philippine Star daily newspaper, featured the sign, “electric evangelism” as he put it. He labeled it “Literally, the Holy Grail of signs along EDSA”. He also wrote, “Amid all the fleeting consumerist suggestions that appear overhead along EDSA, the ‘JESUS’ sign’s become more a reflection of the truth, the way and the life… A sign can do that to you — stop you in your tracks and remind you of how far you’ve come as well.” People do notice those signs with spiritual messages including the “In God We Trust” neon signs on top of Cityland condominiums and those inspiring quips flashed on the big LCD screens or posted on big billboards along the major highway like “Keep using my name in vain. I’ll make rush hour worse.”
I believe our lives are also a sign. The question now is what message are we flashing? People do notice our words and works. They pay attention not so much to what we declare with our lips but much more to what we disclose with our lives. The Lord told us, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14, 16, NIV) Seekers see our works before they hear our words. Our works can either confirm or cancel our words. As the saying goes, “Walk your talk.” The columnist wrote, “One sign of effective signage is that you remember what it brings to mind”. What do we bring to people’s minds? Do we make people stop on their hurried and harried tracks and reflect on our Savior? Or, are we sending the wrong signals? This New Year let us make it our resolve to become the message we share. Let us invest our lives in building relationships with seekers so we could invite them to our church and introduce them to our Lord.
Brethren, we are God’s signage.
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