Mind the Gap!
If you have ever traveled to England, you have heard the phrase “Mind the Gap.” This helpful warning comes into play when getting on and off the Tube. What we would call the subway. Between the railway car and the concrete platform of the station, there is a gap. You do not want to step into the gap, lose your footing, trip, and fall down. Thus the warning.
We have similar warnings here in America. “Watch where you step.” That’s an important warning when you are walking in a pasture full of cows.
“Look before crossing the road” is another friendly warning children and adults are wise to observe. Maybe you can think of other warnings you have learned.
There is a truth that fits here. If we look only at the gap, we are likely to step where we do not want to step. Therefore, as we “mind the gap” we need to look beyond the gap to where we want to step.
Looking beyond is a very wise thing to do. In this world of chaos and disappointment, we can fall into the trap of focusing on our problems. When we focus on the problems and the negatives of life, before long, that’s all we can see.
The author to the book of Hebrews (in the Bible) gives us some solid advice here. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” If Jesus would have only focused on the cross, the pain He experienced would have only intensified. However, He looked beyond the cross.
In that verse of Scripture, what was “the joy that was set before Him?” For sure it was being off of that Cross and being back in heaven. But greater than that was – seeing you and me, the people He came to save. He died on that rugged Roman cross so we could have a personal relationship with God.
There is a familiar tip for amateur golfers (duffers) when there is a tree between us and where we want to hit the ball. This comes into play when we are far behind the tree but it is still very much in the way. Here is the tip – “aim for the tree.” This usually works for us because we rarely hit the ball exactly where we are aiming.
My friend, Gil, tried this tip one day. He aimed at the tree, caught the ball flush, a perfect shot. That time the ball hit the tree dead center and came right back to Gil, traveling about 160 mph. The ball hit him in the very center of his chest. He did live to tell about it but he learned a powerful lesson – Don’t focus on your problem. Look beyond the problem. Mind the gap!
