DEAD PIG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
Maybe you remember the song, “Dead skunk in the middle of the road” released in that stellar year of 1972 (the year I “gradumacated” from High School). The author, Louden Wainright III, said he wrote the song in fifteen minutes as an accident! It tells the story of a dead skunk in the middle of the road and the problem the smell causes for everyone who goes by. A dead skunk can ruin a nice drive! So can a pig.
Recently, in the great State of Texas, a forty-mile toll road was constructed between San Antonio and Austin. It was built with private money (investors) who paid the State of Texas one-hundred million dollars for the right to build the road and set the speed limit! Then there was the cost of the road itself. The investors intend to get their money back one toll at a time. The toll is six dollars. What do you get for your six bucks? Well you get to drive 85 MPH and avoid the mess of interstate 35 between San Antonio and Austin! Great idea! Can you imagine how much money and planning went into the preparation and construction of that road? Years of architects, engineers, and contractors, pouring over the topography of that forty miles. Smart people. Educated people. Years of designing, drawing the plans, and building the road. It’s a beautiful road. It’s a well-designed and constructed road and idea. So what’s the problem? In all the planning nobody thought about the pigs!!!!
The problem is that the road runs through the Texas Hill Country. That part of Texas is filled with wild pigs or ferel hogs! These pigs are the ancestors of domesticated pigs that got loose and became wild. Within a couple of generations they grow dark, wiry hair, and tusks! They run in packs, multiply like rabbits, are incredibly smart, and are primarily nocturnal. They play at night! They can also grow to enormous sizes. I personally have seen them between 350-400 pounds in the wild. I love to stalk the pig!
So what’s the problem? Well, here it is. At night herds of them cross the tollway! How did the pig get from one side of the tollway to the other? By crossing it. In herds. At night. In front of motorists tooling along at 85 MPH. Does anyone see a problem here? The planners didn’t, but now the motorists certainly do. So, how could these smart people who invested millions and millions of dollars in this road forget the pigs? Well, quite possibly, all the investors live in Manhatten where monster hogs don’t roam the streets! At least not the four-footed kind. I’m just sayin…. Probably someone would have done well to ask a local rancher if he saw any problems with the road. He probably would have said something like, “The pigs.” I Guess that didn’t happen, huh?
So what is the point of all this discussion about toll roads, planners, and pigs? Well we are back to the Word of God aren’t we? Nothing wrong with making plans. In fact the Scripture encourages us in the making of wise plans and wise preparation. The key word is “wise”. What is “wise” planning? In all your planning don’t leave God out. Consult Him. Seek Him. Why? Because He knows about the pigs. Unless you want your road littered with dead pigs, (not to mention the hood of your car in the front seat) better have the Heavenly architect in on the planning process. He never forgets the pigs!!!