Fences for Protection

 

I heard a preacher say recently that fences are to protect. We fence yards to keep young children and pets safe from the street. People live in gated, fenced communities for safety for those who live there from strangers that may cause harm. 

Prisons have fences to protect the public from convicted criminals. Without those fences the criminal would probably go right back out and keep committing crimes. 

Fences at the borders of countries are meant to protect the citizens from those who would enter to cause harm. It also helps to protect the sovereignty of that country and the rights of the citizens. Rights and privileges of a country belong solely to it's citizens! This topic has become very divisive in the USA since 2008 and used politically to reinforce the divide and to try to gain votes in my opinion. 

We also tend to put up fences around our hearts as protection. We do this to try to prevent hurt and protect our emotional and mental well being. There is definitely a time and place for this but it can also be detrimental. We can keep people at such arms length that we never have real and honest relationships. Finding the balance between what kind of fence and how high of one to build and leaving a gate open to allow some people in and close can be tricky. We should remember that we shouldn't make one person pay for the sins of hurting us that another person committed. 

Just something to think about.