GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS

        Fences and walls can be useful and they can also be a problem. They can define ownership, give us privacy and protect us from enemies or danger. Throughout history, walled cities were a practical method of helping people be more safe and secure. Jerusalem had its walls broken by war, so Nehemiah and other leaders had to rebuild its city walls to give residents hope and security. (Nehemiah 1-5)

        I once lived in a condo community where everyone’s small backyard was separated by walls which offered protection from aggressive pets, and gave residents privacy. But our walls also kept us from seeing some really ugly backyards. One neighbor’s weeds and trash resulted in a visit from officials and his eventual eviction. Yes, fences can be helpful. They are often the only way people can be kept safe. As poet Robert Frost wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors.”

        But walls can also be a problem if they needlessly exist between people. For three decades the Berlin Wall separated neighborhoods and even families in a failed attempt to isolate people on one side from the rest of the world. Those were joyful days when that terrible wall finally was removed. 

        God’s original plan was for people to need no walls. His gift of perfection in the Garden of Eden allowed mankind to enjoy a peaceful life without barriers. But when those privileged first people ignored God’s Word, and sin came into the world, they tried fixing things by building walls. They sought covering from God and eventually made weapons. They thought they could somehow wall themselves off from God’s justice and mercy. Isaiah 59:2 says it plainly, “Your sins… have cut you off from God.” 

        Sin causes separation - from people, from nature and especially from God. Separation from God is the most deadly result of all. For us to live, the walls between us and God must be torn down.

        Praise be to God He sent His only Son to do that, to reconcile us to Himself and to each other. Because Jesus took our sins to Calvary’s cross, all who trust Him are forgiven, and the barrier of sin can be removed. Galatians 3:28 says, “We are all one in Christ Jesus.” May we remove those barriers that hurt and needlessly isolate us.

But may we also respect those walls that protect us.

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com