Welcome and warning

I take delight in odd or ambiguous signposts. These are in a garden on the Mount of Beatitudes in the Galilee, Israel. I was on retreat near here last month.

Here with a refreshing water feature I saw one of my favourite Bible verses, words of Jesus from John 7: 37 - 38.

Right beside this open invitation from Jesus for anyone who is thirsty to come to him and drink, was the warning 'Water not for drink'. Kindly meant and with a view to the health and safety of visitors no doubt, but it did set me off wondering about the contradictory messages the church often gives and individual Christians present. "Come to Jesus...but don't..."

What contradictory or ambiguous Christian signs have you seen?

Have you experienced a church 'welcome' that turns out to be not so welcoming after all?

What barriers to finding faith in Jesus have you experienced or noticed?


Some other posts about ambiguous or odd signs:

• How not to welcome visitors
• Alarming or helpful
• Ambiguous signs
• Humans welcome by appointment only

Image Credit: Photo, my own.