The Wall that Protects
My original vision had been to enjoy a simple picnic at our favorite park on a beautiful autumn day. The air was crisp, the sun was warm, and our tummies were grumbling. I’d surprised my littlest ones with an-out-of-the-ordinary drive through McDonald’s, had splurged on the happy meal and had even swung for a Diet Coke for myself. My spontaneous lunch plan looked like a hit!
As we unpacked our meal and settled ourselves around a wooden picnic table, I couldn’t help but marvel at the crisp canopy of orange and gold leaves that hung above our heads. When we folded our hands for a pre-lunch prayer, five-year-old Hannah told the Lord just how much she loved His “painting” on the leaves. And I added a prayer of thanks for the large wooden fence that surrounded our playground- a practical gift for moms weary of chasing little ones away from the street.
We gobbled our lunch with delight; then moved on to the serious business of play. Jacket-clad preschoolers filled the air with laughter as teetering toddlers wobbled with glee over the soft carpet of wood chips. Keeping an eye on my preschooler’s whereabouts, I chose a bench near the sand box where my youngest played. I savored the timely break and the chance to chatter with other moms above the noisy fun
I’d been sitting for no more than five minutes when I glanced at the sand box and noticed the boxy space was strangely empty- no little hands digging tunnels, no nimble fingers patting sand pies- no children at all where just moments before an entire clan of sand chefs had been hard at work. Quickly, I excused myself from the conversation and began to roam about the park looking for my toddler.
“He’s got to be here,” I reasoned. “He can’t go far with that fence hemming him in…” I peered beneath large wooden steps- the perfect hiding place for a small body- checked all the slides, and then scurried to the swings. As I made my way around the park’s edge, I hollered Joshua’s name with every few steps. My eyes scanned the play area for a splash of red, the color of his jacket. Instead, I spied something that made my heart race: a missing slat in the sturdy wooden fence. The hole wasn’t large; just one absent spindle, but the gap looked like an inviting escape hatch for a curious toddler. Instantly, my gaze darted beyond the safety of the park. The murmur of cars on the busy streets flanking the playground compelled me to jump the wooden hedge and continue my search. It didn’t take long to spot my run-away.
Five hundred yards from the hedged-in playground, Joshua was chasing an unleashed dog across the grass. Totally unaware of the dangers beyond the green, my toddler was headed, along with his four-legged friend, right for the street. With a shout, I raced towards my son and scooped him in my arms just before his furry buddy dashed between two oncoming cars. Needless to say, our relaxing park trip was over!
After gathering Hannah who had been graciously oblivious to her brother’s folly, I herded my duo to the van and breathed a grateful sigh for the car seat that held my young wanderer in place. While I drove home, I asked Hannah if she had ever noticed the broken fence at the park. “Of course, Mommy,” she replied. “It’s been broken a long time. You just never needed to notice before!”
The author of Proverbs compares the fruit of self-control to a “fence” or a “wall” that we are wise to notice (Proverbs 25:28). Though my park fiasco happened years ago, each time I stumble across the shrewd writer’s word picture, I appreciate his chosen metaphor. While at first glance, the concept of self-control appears less desirable than some of its fruity counterparts, a closer look reveals the true appeal of this Spirit gift. Like the fence around our city’s deluxe playground, self-control is meant for our own good, not for our harm. While a toddler may view a fence as an unnecessary inconvenience, a parent recognizes the value of a well-placed hedge. Because a parent can see the bigger picture- the busy roads beyond the playground that threaten a youngster’s very life- she delights in the gift of a sturdy fence.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. Able to see far more than the tiny playground of our lives, God spots all the dangers that loom beyond. And He lovingly offers with the Spirit’s help, to erect a sturdy hedge of self-control in order to bless and protect our days. Lately, as I seek to stick to some of our family’s more difficult resolutions for the new year, I’m inviting the Master Carpenter to build in me a sturdy fence of self-control . And I’m asking Him to reveal my broken places that need fixing before it’s too late!
Is there anyone else who’s in need of a bit of fence-mending this year? We can be re-built together!
The Overflow: A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.- Proverbs 25:28
