On the side of highway five just
about a hundred yards off the road sits an old red barn. Day after day, passer-byers don’t take a
second look at this barn, as driving by this barn has become part of their
daily routine.
But if this was your first time
to drive highway five, in the rolling hills of Kentucky, you’d be sure to take
a gander at this barn, as it represents the deep heritage of the Kentucky foot
hills.
Today, the barn is riddled with
bullet holes and the wooden planks that encase the barn are showing signs of
being weathered after surviving decades of summer heat and winter frosts. The roof is hardly a roof anymore, and the
red, that once so majestically cloaked the barn, has faded away.
This barn began to leave its
impression 75 years ago as an old farmer took the utmost care to construct this
barn with his bare hands.
With every swing of the hammer,
and stroke of the paint brush, the beauty of his imagination came to life, and
soon birthed his prized possession, his one and only red barn.
Throughout the years, this barn
began to make its impression on the country side of highway five. The barn is not great in and of itself, but
its unwavering consistency of being on the side of the highway day after day
brings about a sense of normalcy to your fast paced life style.
This barn has many memories
behind it, as it has done its share of work over the years. It has housed many bales of hay, it has had a
number of horses and cattle reside within its protective shell, and on an
occasion or two, it has even had the privilege of taking care of the people
around it, who were seeking shelter in the midst of a storm.
But today, this barn shows many
signs of wear and tear as it sits abandoned on the side of highway five. Its rough shape is a constant reminder to the
locals that this barn has seen better days and will soon have to go.
And when it does, the skyline of
this meandering highway will be changed forever. The passer-byers will recognize its lack of
existence. Some will pay tribute by
reminiscing over the memories they had with this barn throughout their
childhood years. Some parents will share with their kids about how there used
to be a barn just a stone throw off the highway, and what that barn meant to
them. Others will keep on driving, without seeing a need to consider the red barn
anymore, but if they are honest with themselves, they will miss seeing this
landmark that has stamped their countryside.
For now, the red barn on highway
five survives another day, reinforcing into the minds and the hearts of those
who drive by it daily the beauty of the Kentucky countryside and one farmer’s determination
to make his living off this land.
We are much like this red
barn. We have been knit together by the
careful hands of our Creator. Every part
of us is designed with purpose in mind.
Yet as the years wear on, we
become riddled with the pains and trials of this life. Our bodies show fatigue and our minds slowly
fade away. Yet, we stand with purpose;
therefore we can leave a legacy behind that can radically change the lives of
those around us.
Many of us will live our lives
quietly behind the scenes, having the chance to allow our relationship with
Christ to ooze through the bullet holes of our wounds, while never knowing who
is quietly watching our steadfastness during the storms. We may never know who chooses to draw near to
us because they feel safe around us, not because of who we are, but because of
the strength of Christ living through us.
If you know Jesus Christ, then your bullet holes, your pain, your wounds
in life have purpose in building the legacy of Christ through you. Without a relationship with Jesus Christ, the
pain and trials you suffer daily have no purpose except to reveal your need for
a Sovereign God who can put purpose in your wounds.
Yet, a day will come, when we
will be adopted fully by the Father and leave nothing behind except the memory
of who we were. If Christ lives in you,
then you have a legacy that will withstand eternity because it is founded in a
God who is eternal. If not, then your
legacy is built upon your life and will die shortly after you die.
What will your legacy be?
Isaiah 40:6-8 “ A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall
I cry?” All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the
breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers,
the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
