A Tale of Two Yards
My son, David, moved into a house in Plano just a couple of weeks ago. After helping him move in one Saturday morning, I noticed two distinct neighboring front yards on his street. Each presented diametrically opposing views regarding the upcoming political election.
One side was pro-Trump, with a wide variety of signs including a full-sized cardboard cut-out of him. The yard next door was pro-Harris, with numerous signs as well.
Below are just a few that caught my eye -
“Haters Gonna Hate”
“You Can’t Fix Stupid, But You Can Vote it Out”
“My Dog is Smarter Than Harris”
“Trump for Prison”
“Sheep for Harris”
“Pro-America / Anti-Trump”
“Trump Was Right About Everything”
“Illegals for Harris”
“Grab Him By the Ballot”
Seeing the neighbor's animosity displayed so clearly and colorfully in opposing front yards, I could not help but remember a story told by one of my favorite singer/songwriters, David Wilcox.
Carpenter Story by David Wilcox (Click to listen along.)
I don't know how long it had been, since these neighbors had even talked to each other.
I think it had been about two years, maybe.
And it started over the dumbest thing. It was just that stray cat.
I mean, one of them thought it was theirs and then it went over to the other porch there, across the little field, the valley there.
And the other farmer took it in. Each of them thought it was their cat, and every time they'd start talking, they'd start arguing about it.
And then they just quit talking.
And so that when the traveler came through looking for work, one farmer said, "Well, yeah. You say you're a carpenter, I've got some work for you."
"You see that house across this field here? Well, that's my damn neighbor!"
"You see this little ditch here in the middle? Well, he calls that the creek!"
"He dug that with his plow! He went up on the hill and changed the way the spring comes down!"
"The creek! It's got a little trickle running through there."
"Well, if he's gonna try to divide us up with that thing, I'll jus' as soon finish the job. I want a fence - all the way across. I don't even want to have to look at him! Can you do that?”
And this carpenter says, "Well, yeah, I could do that. I would need a whole lot more wood. But I could get started with what you've got in the shed there, you'd have to go into town."
And by the time that farmer comes back, driving up that ole rutted road in his truck, full of that lumber. And he looks out into that field, where his new fence ought to be, and that carpenter has built… a... bridge!
Out of his wood! Onto his land! And here comes his neighbor! Walking across his bridge, walking onto his land, hand outstretched, big ol' stupid smile on his face.
Coming right up to his truck, and his neighbor says, "You're, you're a brave man, I didn't think you'd ever want to hear the sound of my voice again. I feel like such a damn fool, can you, can you forgive me?"
And this farmer finds himself saying, "Awww, hell, I knew that was your cat!"
And he looks over, and the carpenter is walking away, and he says, "Hey! Hey, I've got some more work for ya, if you want!"
The carpenter says, "You'll be fine... I'm needed elsewhere."
What about you? Built any walls lately where you might need to think about building a bridge instead? I can think of a few walls I’ve built over the years where Jesus is most likely to prefer I put a bridge. I’d bet he’d even help me build it if I would just ask.
Michele and I have been attending a new church as of late. Our pastor is in the middle of a series on the fruits of the spirit. He says this was planned well in advance and “just happened” to take place during the election season. God has a funny way of working those things out.
Anyway, Sunday’s fruit was peace, something I have been in desperate need of these past many months. The children’s choir performed a song during the service called “Seeds.”
The kids sang…
“If you want a world of peace, plant peace
In our hands we hold the seeds
To sow what our world needs.
If you want a world of peace, plant peace.”
The song took me back to the two neighbors and their yard signs. What exactly do we plant with our political yard signs, bumper stickers, and social media posts full of rhetoric?
I admit, as an 8 on the Enneagram, I'm a challenger and tend to run into a fight. I want to make my point and sometimes not so kindly. But next time I go to plant a stake in the ground on a particular position I may hold, I’ll have to ask myself, “Is this a seed of peace that I am planting?”
Let’s strive for bridges, not walls, my friends. A pretty good carpenter taught us that over 2000 years ago.
After all, the song does not say, “They will know we are Christians by our political yard signs.” Nor does it mention how loud we yell, our protests, bumper stickers, or social media posts.
“And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love.”