CAN WE LIGHTEN UP?

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)

Ironically, this is my second posting in a row dealing with items in the news. I was very surprised that the front page story of today’s (Friday, August 7, 2009) MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, MA) was about Ryan O’Connor, a teenager and his friends who love baseball and wiffle ball and have made a mini Fenway Park in the back yard of the teen's Knight Road home. The Town of Framingham is upset because the ballpark displays a “Mobil” sign in the area of the park where you’d notice the “Citgo” sign at the real Fenway Park. Apparently, neighbors have complained to the Town.

Town officials are disturbed because the sign is larger than that allowed in the Framingham sign bylaws and is “a commercialized sign in a residential neighborhood”.

“It’s not really a nuisance, it’s just us having fun.” says Ryan.

You can read this story at:

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x1565388036/Framingham-says-Fenway-Park-replica-violates-sign-bylaw

I just as easily could have quoted a Bible verse about the letter of the law vs. the spirit of the law as I began this posting. These are kids having harmless fun in a backyard. With all the trouble in our community of youth gangs, domestic violence, shootings, and all sorts of other major issues, we should be thrilled that these kids are safely in a backyard playing ball. If they have a “Mobil” sign up- big deal!

I think we all understand we wouldn’t want commercial signs “plastered” all over residential neighborhoods in Framingham. And, I’m usually a stickler for obeying the law in the spirit of Romans chapter 13. But we’ve got fine young men and women dying and being seriously injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. We’ve got serious problems with the economy. We’re wrestling with what to do about health care. We’ve had several recent murders in MetroWest communities. Framingham’s got serious problems with our downtown. Most of all, our community and our nation need a spiritual revival like the Great Awakenings of old. And we’re worried about a “Mobil” sign at a replica backyard ballpark?!

I think we need to lighten up. On the other hand, the fact that our priorities are so messed up may mean we should be weeping.