On Waffle House Signs

I was driving home last night from Columbus along a very uninhabited stretch of I-185. I have traveled this highway too many times to count over the past several years, and it has become very familiar to me, particularly on the 3 hour drive back from visiting my parents in south Georgia. Traffic is never really bad, and it’s not that terrible of a ride. It’s just kind of long and tedious.

It was kind of late last night, just past 9:00 or so, and I was really ready just to get home. It had been a long day, I hadn’t eaten dinner yet, and I was pretty tired. David Platt was giving an excellent sermon through my iPod, though, so that made things a lot better. Nevertheless, I was ready to get to the house and eat my calzone that Katie made for me (and it was very good, by the way).

Just when I thought I couldn’t stand driving anymore, I saw it. There, in all its brightness and glory, towering high above the trees off in the distance was my sign of hope—a Waffle House sign. This, however, was no ordinary Waffle House sign. It signified my exit. It meant I was home.

I’ve gotten to the point now where I always look for this particular sign whenever I’m driving back from that direction. I can usually spot the sign about 2 miles away when I come over a hilltop. Every time I see it, it thrills my heart. I must admit, I usually speed up a little bit in my excitement (I guess that’s why they say most wrecks occur within 10 miles of your home…). I am almost home.

This phenomenon is not limited to me or this particular Waffle House, though. These towering signs are at exits all over the place, signaling drivers that there is a place to stop from long hours of driving and enjoy a nice All-Star breakfast special, or just a waffle and water (like I usually do). There’s nothing fancy about Waffle House. It’s just relatively cheap, the food tastes good, and it provides a very unique atmosphere of people in their most genuine form. And even if you don’t stop and eat there, they can symbolize the fact that you’ve reached your destination.

Thinking about this particular sign, I was reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” That’s what Waffle House does. They set their bright, shining signs high up on the hillsides so that everyone can see them. They don’t put a little sign out front. The things are usually so large, it almost looks tacky. Why do they do that? It’s good advertising. People see the signs, they stop, and they eat a waffle. The signs are an obvious statement of what’s inside.

We should be the same way. We should be living our lives in such a way that people can’t help but see us and think, “Wow. God is in that person. I want some of that.” We should be standing tall, offering satisfaction for the spiritually hungry. We can be a light in the darkness to those who are lost. And to the weary traveler, our light is a symbol of home.

Thank you Waffle House for making good food, be it healthy or not. Thanks for providing a warm friendly atmosphere. Thanks for telling us that we’re home.

And thanks for reminding us that we should do the same things for the people around us.