In 1950, Tulsa police officer Clinton Riggs produced the first Yield sign. It was yellow and keystone-shaped—I actually think I remember some of those in the deep dark recesses of my mind. That first one was placed at the corner of 1st Street and Columbia Avenue, one of the most dangerous intersections in Tulsa at the time. The Yield sign worked like this: Drivers were expected to slow to 10 mph and look for other vehicles before proceeding through the intersection. If an accident occurred after the driver went through the intersection, it was automatically assumed that he had violated the law.
Officer Riggs was born July 15, 1910. After serving with the Tulsa Police Department for three years he then joined the Highway Patrol in 1937. During World War II he served as an intelligence officer for the Army Air Corps, and then returned to the police department afterwards. Somewhere along the way he got his law degree from the University of Tulsa. He retired from the department in 1970 and passed away in 1997. Quite a life, but he is remembered by us all as the father of the yield sign.
The Bible has its own yield sign and it works pretty much the same way. We are to "subject ourselves one to another" Eph 5:21. We are to give up our rights, even take wrong (1 Cor 6:7), for the sake of our brother (Rom 14; 1 Cor 8). We are to count others as "better than ourselves" Phil 2:3. And why? Because that is what the Lord we claim to follow did. "Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus." He yielded his rights as Deity when he became human and he did it for us.
Some of the men's business meetings I have heard about need to post a yield sign on the wall. The conduct in them grieves the Holy Spirit and disgusts the Father who watches his children's actions. But that's not the only place we need a sign. Anywhere we push our opinions, demand our rights, and look down our noses on any who disagree with us are dangerous intersections where a collision could easily result in a spiritual death.
Anyone who has a collision with another soul after going through an intersection where a yield sign is posted, is automatically deemed guilty of breaking the law. God's law: Yield right of way.
And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. (1Cor 8:11-12)
Dene Ward
Officer Riggs was born July 15, 1910. After serving with the Tulsa Police Department for three years he then joined the Highway Patrol in 1937. During World War II he served as an intelligence officer for the Army Air Corps, and then returned to the police department afterwards. Somewhere along the way he got his law degree from the University of Tulsa. He retired from the department in 1970 and passed away in 1997. Quite a life, but he is remembered by us all as the father of the yield sign.
The Bible has its own yield sign and it works pretty much the same way. We are to "subject ourselves one to another" Eph 5:21. We are to give up our rights, even take wrong (1 Cor 6:7), for the sake of our brother (Rom 14; 1 Cor 8). We are to count others as "better than ourselves" Phil 2:3. And why? Because that is what the Lord we claim to follow did. "Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus." He yielded his rights as Deity when he became human and he did it for us.
Some of the men's business meetings I have heard about need to post a yield sign on the wall. The conduct in them grieves the Holy Spirit and disgusts the Father who watches his children's actions. But that's not the only place we need a sign. Anywhere we push our opinions, demand our rights, and look down our noses on any who disagree with us are dangerous intersections where a collision could easily result in a spiritual death.
Anyone who has a collision with another soul after going through an intersection where a yield sign is posted, is automatically deemed guilty of breaking the law. God's law: Yield right of way.
And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. (1Cor 8:11-12)
Dene Ward
RSS Feed