The Can-Opener

It wasn’t an amusement park or the beach but it brought an air of excitement and anticipation that would rival any special summer trip.  We were in Durham, North Carolina looking for adventure and to be close to the celebrity structure known as “the can-opener”.

The “can-opener” was not something to open cans nor is it on many families “must-sees” but we found ourselves next to the infamous 11-foot 8 bridge, the bridge with its very own website and youtube channel and proclivity for ripping the roofs off of box trucks and campers.  The boys and I had watched many incidents of destruction and since it served us well as entertainment we thought it would be amazing to see the bridge in person and perhaps see some live can-opening.

And that’s how we found ourselves on a street corner in Durham, waiting, watching, and maybe even hoping to see the can-opener in action.  We spotted trucks that seemed tall and held our breathe as they skirted under the railroad without incident.  We stood there for a long time, wondering if a box truck would ignore the painted steel beams, the warning lights, and the signage that all served as a not-so-subtle reminder to maybe pay attention and proceed with caution.  The bridge was there to allow others to pass on through as long as they fit! 

We were observers of the car and truck culture attempting to pass through the can-opener.   We were spectators for a possible spectacle. 

We stood and watched.  We stood and waited.  Nothing happened other than a regular hustle and bustle afternoon in Durham, and I’m thankful for that!

Years later I was reminded of that Durham trip as I ran towards a local bridge that also carried trains over a busy road.  I saw a tractor-trailer approach and quickly lock up the breaks as he made his approach.

Visions of the can-opener flashed in my mind and I remember the boys and I standing at that bridge and waiting.  Years later I found myself on the verge of witnessing an honest-to-goodness can opening! 

As I ran towards the bridge and the truck approached on the opposite side, I made eye-contact with the driver.  He was all too aware of the height of his truck and the possibly low-slung bridge.  He looked at me, then looked up and repeated the process.  I found my role quickly, not as a runner but as a guide for those that travel across bridges.

I gently waved him forward.  I called him into and under the overpass as he looked upwards. 

Here I was in the presence of a bridge and a tall truck again.  This time I wasn’t watching for destruction, I was doing my best to take them through and on to the other side.

Once the trucker made it through, he tipped his cap and grabbed another gear and rumbled down the road.  And I kept running.

I was a casual observer at one bridge and a guide at the other.

The can-opener bridge and my local bridge encounter preach.   They preach by encouraging us to not be idle watchers of the world but to be active participants for those about to cross over bridges, navigate new roads, or possibly endure an unforeseen bit of damage from a low-hanging bridge.

Paul wrote in Romans 10:13-15 “for, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?  As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Can you see how we are to be positioned around bridges and prepared to equip, serve, and encourage those that are approaching, entering, and exiting?   Sharing the gospel is not a spectator sport; we are not called to stand on the corner and wait for the bad things to happen to strangers!  We are to wave, to speak, to signal, and to warn.  We are to call out things in ways that are understood and received.  We should guide and encourage.  And as all of that happens, we should keep running and carrying the good news to the next bridge.

We are all different and carry different giftings.  These are not accidental nor are they to be idle on the roadside somewhere.  Jesus set the course with His own crossing of a bridge that no man could navigate…and because of that we have hope and a future!  And all of that can be brought to others if we are active in our assignment and aware of the bridges that exist for our culture, our country, and our friends.  Bridges bring people across and occasionally incur some damage to get there.  People need to cross bridges knowing who they are in Jesus.

So don’t be afraid of bridges, even the ones with nick-names like the “can-opener”.   Put yourself in front of them and warn with compassion and understanding.  Position yourself on the bridge and help guide and piece things back together.  You may find yourself on the other side of the bridge where you wave and send them down the road. 

The stage is set but don’t be a casual observer of those approaching low-hanging bridges.  Bring the Good News in ways that you were uniquely and magnificently designed to do.