Hard of Understanding Signs (09/05/2026)

There is construction going on at the high school near me.  Entering their workspace is precarious. So, “No Parking” signs went up right away to discourage students from parking too close to the drive and making it difficult for those large construction vehicles to access the building site. Yesterday morning, on my way home from running errands, I drove by and immediately broke out in laughter. The “No Parking” run both sides of the entrance every few inches like repetition was going to solve the problem. Obviously, they are addressing an outbreak of “hard of understanding.”

I had to laugh because to me it was like a visual for what’s going around in our world right now. Their process started with 2 “No Parking” signs on either side of the driveway. No one paid attention to them. Those have increased incrementally for weeks. As I said before, the number is now 15 on either side. And it begs the question: What is really going on here? Are the parkers not seeing the signs? Are the parkers not motivated to honor the signs?  Do the parkers believe the directives are optional? Do the parkers feel they are the exception? That the request doesn’t apply to them?

Being a scripture lover, my first thought was that the situation could use a parking prophet, someone to go out into the community and alert the public to the need to honor the authority and cooperate with the “laws” that govern these sort of things. But then I realized that few prophets actually had an impact on the communities because the communities were “hard of understanding.” The only one that really did convince the audience to repent immediately was Jonah with Ninevites.

That image stuck with me into the night when I pondered my day. I know the signs were for those parking nearby, but it had an impact on me in that it made me consider if I have been “hard of understanding” in my relationship with the LORD and others. How many times in my life have I ignored what was right or needed because of what I myself wanted in the moment? I thought of all the signs the LORD has sent to me throughout my life to alert me to a need to honor the simple law – love: Love the LORD; love one another.

As I pondered and my memory surfaced a plethora of “I’m sorry” moments with the LORD, with family, with friends, even with strangers, I had to admit to the LORD that I have been “hard of understanding.” I could hear the quiet voice – “read the signs.”

As we journey in life, let us commit to following in the footsteps of our LORD and Savior. And let us keep our eyes, ears, minds and hearts open and promise to “read the signs” in life and in relationships and choose always to love well.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.