Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Age had taken its toll, but it still retained its somewhat youthful appearance in spite of a few scratches and blemishes acquired over time. Surprisingly, no bullet holes punctured its physique as is common in signs in quasi remote areas. Perhaps it was due to the fact that passersby had no interest in drawing undue attention to their presence there. Posted along a gravel road that with each additional mile seemed less and less worthy of being called a road, the sign had been undoubtedly placed there for the benefit of innocent explorers in search of rare birds or solitude that comes with an absence of population.
Its proximity to the Mexican border was reinforced by an occupant of an old truck whose driver informed us that if we would climb to the top of the peak we could see Mexico and macaws flying about. We assumed their geography was correct, if not their avian observations. Still, its remoteness and closeness to the border did seem like an ideal avenue for illegal activity.
And yet the setting provides us with a paradox. Is it likely more crimes were committed on this out-of-the-way path than on the crowded streets of the densely populated city near home? Unlikely. And yet I’ve never yet seen a sign posted along any of our well-traveled avenues warning me of impending danger.
We should remember that signs have meaning for us only as long as we give them notice. It is altogether possible that if someone drove this stretch of lonely road every day they would become insensitive to its message. Isn’t it possible that this was the reason for Jesus’ response to the Pharisees when they asked for a miracle, that they really didn’t want an answer, they just wanted an excuse? “He sighed deeply and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.’” (Mark 8:12 NIV) In his book, The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey makes this observation: “A sign is not the same thing as proof; a sign is merely a marker for someone who is looking in the right direction.”