Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:12-14
Before joining the police department in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Clinton Riggs studied at what was then known as the Northwestern Traffic Institute. As cars became more common in the 1930s, traffic accidents also increased, and for a class project, Riggs designed a new traffic sign. Years later, Riggs was able to put his project into use in the real world. He installed the first YIE sign at the corner of Columbia and 1st Street, which was the most dangerous intersection in Tulsa. Accidents quickly fell to zero, and the sign began being used in cities across the country. The original sign read “Yield Right of Way” and was done in yellow with black letters. It is now on display at the Tulsa Historical Society.
There is a daily spiritual battle taking place in each of our lives. The outcome of that battle is determined by our decision to either yield our will, our purpose and our actions to sin or to yield them to God. We are meant to live in victory, becoming more and more like Jesus and less and less like the world. But that only happens as we determine to walk in the control and direction of the Holy Spirit, not just one time but day after day.
The battle against sin will continue as long as we live. There is no point at which it is safe for us to let down our guard and assume that the issue has been settled. Each day we must yield the right of way to control our thoughts and actions to God. Only then will we be able to reject the power of sin and walk in the path of righteousness.
