Electronic billboards have become quite the rage, haven’t they? Shifting advertisements with varying degrees of bright colors flashing before our eyes are a common sight these days. And the bolder and brighter the better, right? Is it an attraction or a distraction? A lure or a blur? And what would it be like for people working or living near or even under that sign? Would they become so accustomed to its presence they would no longer even see it?
Perhaps it is that the world is filled with signs. Not brightly illuminated ones but observable ones nonetheless. Signs that indicate the presence of something or someone. Signs that kindle peace or hope in moments or places of struggle or despair. Could it be that there are signs longing to be seen in a world of distractions zooming all around us like a constant blur?
There are many who say that the signs most easily seen these days signal only gloom and doom. “Just like the predictions in the Bible” they say. But is that all there is? Are there no signs of renewal and faith, kindness and love? And, honestly now, is there not a single shred of a sign that a benevolent Being is with us on this spinning orb suspended in space? Could it be that there are signs longing to be seen by eyes yearning to see?
Perhaps it is a matter of perspective. For some, the negative will always have the bigger, brighter ads, the louder shouts, the catchier slogans. For some, it’s all but impossible to see anything other than a world in the hands of human beings who can scarcely agree on pizza toppings much less steps to ensure the survival of the planet and its inhabitants. Really now, is that all there is? Do we just careen from day to day existing under a sign of a fate full of hate from some distant deity above us? Could it be that there are signs of something vastly different under which we may more fully live?
When we stop and reflect, we might identify numerous signs under which we live. A flag. A dollar sign. A family name. A zodiac sign. A rainbow. A birth certificate. An income bracket. Which garner our attention? How many keep us tethered in place? Are there any that lure us into a more loving life? Have we grown too accustomed to the negativity that we no longer see the shreds of life-giving signs scattered in our midst? Could it be that the world is filled with signs for which we need to search?