Take the Green Light

Where we live there are a lot of stop lights. A lot. Many intersections have multi-phase lights: blinking yellow, blinking red, red arrow, green arrow, red light, yellow light, green light. Multiple streets and lanes feed into the intersections from assorted directions, often more than just four. It can be quite complicated watching who goes when and where. You can wait a long time watching all the lights cycle through before it is your turn.

On top of that there is more than one way to get to most of the places I want to be. There are a number of options on how to get to work and, no surprise, there are the same number of options on how to get home. I can get to and from the grocery store by multiple routes; getting in and out of town is the same thing. There are even a couple of different ways to get to our favorite brew pub.

Here is my new principle: take the green light. If the arrow is green, I turn. If the straight through light is green, I take that. Even if one way is a tad more convenient, if I can get a green light, I take it and make adjustments as I go.

My goal is to keep moving, make the most of my momentum and not waste time waiting. If necessary, I will figure out a work-around instead of standing still at the intersection.

How about that as a life principle in the New Year? Take the green light.

There may be more than one route to achieve the end you desire. Take the green light. Where do you have forward motion already established? Where are the signals “go”? Where is there clear and legal permission? Go that way. Take the green light.

Avoid the red lights, or better, don’t let them deter you from your goals, just figure out a different way where the signals are better. But don’t run the red lights! Especially if they are clearly from God. Stop means stop. Most especially when God has said so. Running red lights can be deadly for you and others.

But see if there is a different way, a different route.

This is all about means and not so much about ends. Of course you must always make sure that the ends you have in mind are legitimate, Godly and good (like getting to work, home, the brew pub). But be open to different means… as long as they too are legitimate, Godly and good (green lights).

Too often in life we get stopped. We lose time. We dither. We wait.* We become paralyzed by looking for the one best, perfect way to get something or somewhere. Scripture teaches that the days are evil and life is a vapor. Sitting at red lights wastes time you can’t get back. It can even be dangerous sitting at stop lights unnecessarily.

Not this year. Take the green light. Make the most of the opportunities God gives you. Don’t stop if there is another route that is open. Yes, like a stop sign, at times there is no other option but to sit and wait. Be patient. But when the situation offers an alternative, like a green arrow in a little different direction, take it.  

This year take the green light.

*Waiting does have its place in life. We indeed wait on the LORD. Experience teaches that good things often do come to those who wait. Deferred gratification is a crucial, often underutilized, life skill.