I was driving down the main street in my home town, on my way to pick up my grandson from work.  Of course, the light turned red by the time I reached the intersection.  A funeral procession was approaching from the opposite direction, and made a right hand turn at the light.  I was thinking about the departed, and how the long string of cars following the hearse represented the mourners.  That person was loved, I thought.  The traffic light changed and I was on my way again.

I hadn't noticed him before, but there was an elderly man standing on the sidewalk, at my right, about a half block from the light.  He was tall and distinguished looking, with a full head of white hair.  He was well dressed, in casual brown slacks and a pale yellow long-sleeved shirt, even though it was a warm August morning.  The old gentleman had turned and was facing the funeral procession, watching as the last cars filed by.

He was standing as if at attention, and I noticed he had his cap in his hand and had been holding it over his heart the entire time.  After the final car had passed, I glanced up in my rear-view mirror and saw the old man turn, place his beige, golfing hat on his head, and proceed on up the street.

About a mile out of town, I came upon a “Men at Work” sign, and slowly braked to a halt.  There were about three cars stopped in the opposite lane, two cars ahead of me in my lane and a man in between, directing traffic.  Evidently, the people in the first car in left lane of traffic had not seen him motioning to them to come on, and I smiled to myself as he became rather animated.

The traffic director, about 45 years of age, had long white hair, a tanned, craggy face and a full white beard.  With a dirty orange tee-shirt, jeans, and a sweatband around his head, he looked like a throwback to the 1960's.  He was a wiry little guy with a cigarette in his teeth and was waving the red flag around like a bull-fighter.  He looked hot, tired and very agitated, and he kind of glared at me when it was my turn to pass by.

Two men on one road… one, a refined looking gentleman, magnifying honor, respect, and compassion; the other, an angry, impatient, unkempt "hippie."

Even though both were in the same area at the same time, in the same heat, the first reminded me of a gentle, cool waterfall.  The second reminded me of a raging, muddy river, after a storm.

What a contrast!

Pastor Moser
August 7, 2006