Invisble Fence

My mornings are very sacred to me in that it is usually the only time I have to myself. The rest of my day is full of meetings and the like, and usually as soon as I am done with work I head off to meet with college students or other random people. It is a rare week when I have an evening to myself, thus I treasure my mornings. One of my favorite things to do in the morning is to walk to the metro. It’s a two-mile hike but to be honest it’s a great time to just listen to my music and relax. I rarely accept a ride from my roommates to the metro if I have the chance to walk. Recently my morning walks have been interrupted first by a scary man and then by all the late season snow. But this morning I was able to walk and it was actually pretty nice out. (The sad thing here is it was 30 degrees and I have been in DC too long that I thought that was a great morning)

So I was on my trek in and I was walking past a house whose front lawn borders the main road I walk on. And I started seeing all these little flags in the ground that read “Invisible Fence”. I began to wonder if they were having problems with people invading their space because they do have a very nice house but it is not really in the neighborhood per say making them more vulnerable. But then I began to wonder is there really a fence there or are the flags there just to make you think there is a fence. I really wanted to stick my foot through the flag barrier but had to keep telling myself “Self, if there is a real invisible fence you will have a nice electric shock go through your body and the rest of this walk to the metro my not be so fun with a limp” But man I really wanted to know… I will say somewhat sadly my better senses won out and I did not stick my leg through this apparent “invisible fence” so I will never know if there is one or not. Unless I decide to check tomorrow or on my way home tonight?

But the thought that helped my better sense win out was so often when I am struggling with something spiritually I know where the boundary is. Yet I continue to walk right up next to that “Invisible Fence” God has set for me. And I far to often swing my leg through it only to be shocked as I have in the past. I sometimes don’t trust that the boundaries set by God are for my protection. I began to realize I bet this fence was not to stop vandals from getting to there house but they probably got a pet most likely a dog who wanted to play in their front lawn. But the little dog probably ran into the main street too often risking his life. While he may be upset when the line of the invisible fence shocks him, in reality it is saving his life from being hit by a car. And far too often I get upset with God thinking the boundaries are for others to keep the bad people away from me and I don’t have to abide by them. But in reality this invisible fence by God is for me so that I know where to stop and while my crossing it may release a small shock, it is for my own good to send me back into the safety of His plan, and not to continue to wander into the street where who knows what could happen to me.
Then to be honest I was upset with God for showing me this little picture because then I got REALLY convicted about testing this literal “Invisible Fence” in front of me… I guess I will never know.