TAKE THE SIGNS SERIOUSLY

The sign clearly read “No more than 15 people or 3000 pounds.” But that didn’t stop 26 cheerleaders who decided to see how many girls they could squeeze into an elevator. The group of 14 to 17 year-olds were attending Texas Cheer Camp at the University of Texas in Austin. 

The lift descended, but the doors refused to open. The panicked girls were trapped for 25 minutes, before finally being freed by a repairman. One teen fainted and was released from a nearby hospital and two others were treated at the scene. Rhonda Weldon, spokesperson for the police department commented, “It’s dangerous. They’re lucky that’s all that happened.”  Then she added, “Take the signs seriously.” 

I’m guessing that every one of those girls will “take the signs seriously" in the future. We need to do the same with God‘s word. The Bible is not a “rule book", and its purpose is not to control our behavior. God gave us the Bible to reveal his heart to us and set us free in every realm of life. However, the Bible does contain commands and warnings, which are always for our benefit.  When God speaks a warning to us, it’s best to listen and obey. 

Psalm 19:10 says this concerning God’s commands, “By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Ignoring God's "signs" can carry disastrous consequences! Proverbs 1:7 states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom."  "Fearing God" doesn't mean we live in terror of him, but we have an awesome respect for the drastic results of not following his instructions; much like we do with high-voltage electricity. At times, we all test the Lord and learn the "hard way". But life is so much better when we listen to God and take the signs seriously.