Marking What’s Important

I would sit pretzel style (politically correct) on the ground while watching Dad work on a broken piece of haying equipment. He would often use me as a gopher to run for this tool or that tool. He could have done it faster himself because he was the only one that would have known right where it was in the disorderly shop, but he also knew how to make a daughter feel important. I would watch closely as he “fixed things up”- often times taking hours. Sometimes he would decide to place a mark on the equipment for future reference. He would dig deep into his jean’s pocket and pull out his pocket knife, making a scratch in the red paint. That thin silver slash would mark the exact spot he needed as a reference for another possible repair job down the road. (Dad could extend the life of equipment quite efficiently – well, maybe not so efficiently if you figure in the hours of repair time.) These small marks to aid in future attempts to extend life to treasured possessions are called witness markers. Dad did this for his own benefit; to save time the next time he had to work on the piece. But, there was a time when people left witness markers for the benefit of others. For instance, a meticulous clock repairman would place a mark inside the clock to aid future repairmen to know how to set the mechanisms in the clock – a very time saving technique (no pun intended) for their fellow man. It gives me a “warm fuzzy” to think of a time when it was common courtesy to help out the next person – maybe a time when we thought more of others and less of ourselves.

I have to wonder if placing “witness markers” for the benefit of others is an obsolete practice in this day and age? I would like to think that I might leave something behind that might benefit others.

I am no stranger to marking things. Multiple highlighters live on the table next to my recliner. My Bible looks like a pressed rainbow – but this again is for my own benefit. In some small way, I hope my blog with family stories and spiritual tidbits will mean something to my descendants.

God encourages markers throughout the Bible of one sort or another. Remember when He had the enslaved Israelites paint the top and sides of their doorframes with blood so the death angel would pass by their households and spare their firstborn sons? (Exodus 12:23) And what about the time when they were finally passing into the Promised Land. They had just crossed through on the rocks of the Jordan River bed after God miraculously provided a dry path. He gave this instruction to Joshua. “Now, tell the men – one from each tribe – to take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan and pile them up at the place where you camp tonight.” (Joshua 4:5) In the same chapter it tells us why He asked them to do this. When their children would ask what the stones meant, it would remind them of what the Lord had done for them and the story would be passed on from generation to generation.

As Christians we all have our remembrances of what God has done for us. Let’s pass the stories on. When they involve God, they are way to good to keep to ourselves. Maybe I’ll throw in a highlighter with mine.

Until next time, keep on readin’ and I’ll keep on writin’.