The unfamiliar parson, Robert G. Lee, once told of a horrifying train accident that took place near Kinston, North Carolina. An excursion train plunged into the Elizabeth River through an open draw bridge. Eighteen passengers were killed or drowned.
An inquiry to determine the source of the accident heard from both the signal man on the bridge and from the engineer aboard the train. The signal man swore under oath that he had brandished a red flag, warning the train to stop. The engineer, however, swore that the flag had been white, signifying to him to proceed full speed ahead.
The mystery was solved when the flag was obtained and offered as evidence. It certainly was a red flag, but it had faded over time that it inadvertently would have appeared white from quite a distance.
Many of we Christians have become like that discolored flag. We, too, fail to get across God’s message of warning to the endangered within today’s world. It is the result of our unfaithfulness which in turn has become a faded banner. If the Resurrection of the Christ has really pumped up our spiritual well being, then why not discard that faded flag for one that is full of redness and flash the warning far and wide?
Before one more souls falls eternally into the eternal lake of fire, let’s react with God’s goodness and inform the hurting and abused of our world that Jesus, the Christ, is alive and well!