Good News, Bad News

I guess I am getting known for my love of church signs. Recently I received a copy of an article reviewing two books on church signs from a friend. By sheer coincidence, I was given a copy of one of those books last Thursday from some church members. Also recently, a pastor who happened to looking at our church website read this blog and sent me this picture.


He said some church members shared it with him. who had run across it on one of their travels. Honestly, I have to ask if this sign was intentional. The irony is obvious, unless, of course, the person who put the letters on the sign is unhappy with his or her pastor. Yet there is still another way to interpret this sign- being that the sign letterer was inviting the reader to hear the pastor preach on this vital topic.

Either option is possible given the lack of any other information. The lesson, though, applies to life. Virtually any happening can be interpreted in various ways. A person dying, while some would say is sad, in some cases could be quite happy. I recently officiated a funeral for a woman who was ready to die and couldn't understand why she had to linger. Her death, for some might be considered sad, but for her family it was a glad occasion. It all depends on how you interpret the event.

In the back of my mind, this discussion reminds of a routine on the old "Hee Haw" television show my father was fond of watching. As I recall, Archie Campbell and a companion would be discussing the latest news. After Archie would inform his friend of some event, the friend would comment, "That's good!" or "That's bad!" depending on how the news struck him. Archie would then reply to the opposite and explain why. The comedy team of Abbott and Costello were also know for this type of humor.

For instance, take this dialogue from an admittedly "corny" joke:

"Did ya hear I got married?"
"Oh, that's good."
"No, that's bad! She's ugly!"
"Oh, that's bad."
"No, that's good! She's rich."
"Oh, that's good!"
"No, that's bad! She won't give me a cent."
"Oh, that's bad
"No, that's good! She bought me servants and a big house"
"Oh, that's good."
"No, that's bad! The house burnt down."
"Oh, that's bad."
"No, that's good! She was in it

Good or bad? Many things, like the message on the sign, are a matter of interpretation.

That's good.

Or is that bad?