Caution!

When my son Benjamin was three or four years old, the children and I were in the car together when I saw a traffic light ahead of us. I decided that this would be a good opportunity to determine whether Benjamin knew what the various colors represent.

“What does red mean?” I asked.

“Stop,” he responded.

“What does green mean?”

“Go.”

“What does yellow mean?”

“Hurry up!”

Everyone thought that Benjamin’s reply was hilarious, and Benjamin was thrilled to be the center of attention. After we had all finished laughing, I told him that yellow means “caution” or “be careful.”

That incident occurred thirty years ago, but I still think about it from time to time. Benjamin had concluded that yellow means “hurry up” from observing his parents’ driving habits, and that was somewhat disturbing. What is even more disturbing, however, is that most of us interpret life’s “yellow lights” as a signal to speed through whatever is ahead of us without weighing the risks involved.

The more I think about what a yellow traffic light really means, however, the more I am inclined to believe that it means a  great deal more than “caution.” The American Heritage Dictionary defines “caution” as, “careful forethought to avoid danger or risk.” While that message is implied in the appearance of the yellow light, other messages also come into play when that light appears.

The appearance of the yellow traffic light means that the light is about to change from green to red. No amount of wishing that the light would remain perpetually green will have even the slightest effect on the changing of the light. When the driver sees the yellow light, he must make a decision regarding his best course of action. Does he have time to proceed through the intersection before the light turns red, or will he find himself half-way across when the light changes and he is broadsided by a driver traveling at forty miles per hour on the adjacent street?  By checking his rear-view mirror the driver may observe an SUV traveling closely behind him that will almost certainly rear-end him if he opts to stop while the light is still yellow. Change is coming, and the driver has only seconds in which to decide how to best deal with that change.

Our lives are filled with yellow lights that signal change is coming. Some of those changes are welcome, and others are not. Some of us are dealing with life-altering changes such as the death of a loved one, divorce, the loss of a job, or the loss of a home.  The one thing that we need to remember is that we cannot wish change away; nothing will keep the light green forever. When we see the yellow light, we must react.

The Bible says that the wise man thinks ahead (Proverbs 13:16) and that he is cautious and avoids danger (Proverbs 14:16). When we are overwhelmed by the change that is taking place in our lives, we should step back and really seek God. Only He knows the future, and only He can determine the best course of action for us to take.

When we find ourselves in a crisis situation, we are often advised to “do something, even if it’s wrong!” Clearly, this is not good advice. We must respond by taking action, but we frequently do not know what action is best. At these times it is important to remember that God never makes a mistake, and if we seek Him, we can trust Him to guide us to take the best possible course of action in any circumstance. Even when things look hopeless, God is in control, and He has promised that he will never desert us. That knowledge certainly makes all of those yellow lights seem less scary.

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