The Man Who Never Had Time for the Railroad Crossing Always Finds Time for the Funeral

Life has a strange way of forcing us to acknowledge what we refused to slow down for. The man who races through his days, never pausing at caution signs, ignoring the flashing lights of warning, and believing that he’s too busy to stop—he always seems to have time when tragedy strikes.

When the train is coming, he speeds ahead, convinced that one more second saved is worth the risk. But when that same train claims a life—whether he finds himself sitting in silence at a funeral or lying in a casket of his own, leaving his family in despair—time is no longer a choice, only a consequence.

The Train: A Warning from God

The tracks stretched ahead, unwavering, a silent path laid long before he ever approached. The signs flashed, the bells clanged, and the distant roar of steel on steel rumbled through the air. Yet, he barely noticed. Too busy. Too focused. Too sure he had more time.

Deadlines, distractions, destinations. God’s warnings whispered through the noise, but he ignored them. The barriers were just an inconvenience, the flashing lights just another delay.

Slowing down wasn’t an option—he had places to be, 
things to do, plans of his own.

But the train never stops for those who refuse to yield.

Then, in an instant, the rush collides with reality. The screeching brakes. The deafening impact. The moment of reckoning. Time, which once seemed to slip through his fingers, now holds him still. The places he needed to be, the things he had to do, the excuses he made—all of it fades before the weight of a choice ignored.

Maybe he walks away, shaken but spared, given another chance to heed God’s voice calling him to slow down, to listen, to turn back. Or maybe this is the moment where the rushing ends, where the warnings he brushed aside become the eulogy spoken over his name.

God had never stopped calling. The warnings had always been there—not to punish, but to protect. The flashing lights weren’t obstacles but invitations. The barriers weren’t restrictions but mercy.

The train doesn’t change its course. The warnings don’t disappear. But God, in His love, still calls us to pause, to listen, to turn before destruction finds us.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” — Proverbs 14:12

🚦 Slow down. Listen. Choose God’s path before the rush becomes your ruin.

A Pause Could Save Your Life- We rush through life, dismissing caution signs—both literal and metaphorical. We ignore warning signs about our health, our relationships, our spiritual condition. We think, I’ll deal with it later. But some moments, if ignored, lead to consequences that can’t be undone.

Ignoring Small Warnings Leads to Big Regrets- The flashing railroad signals represent the warnings we often brush aside: the doctor’s advice we ignore, the spouse we don’t make time for, the child who just wanted us to listen, the gut feeling we dismiss. One day, these neglected moments can accumulate into a tragedy that forces us to stop.

You’ll Either Stop by Choice or by Force- The irony is that the man who had “no time” to stop at the railroad finds himself with all the time in the world at the funeral. Life will make you slow down—whether voluntarily or when forced to by loss, pain, or regret. The choice is whether you pause now, when you still have a chance to change, or later, when all you can do is mourn what’s been lost.

Time Isn’t the Issue—Priorities Are - The man never actually lacked time; he lacked wisdom in how he used it. If we’re always rushing, never stopping for the moments that matter, we may find ourselves at the end of life realizing we were too busy chasing things that never truly mattered.

Slow Down Before It’s Too Late - The funeral is too late for apologies. Too late to say “I love you.” Too late to make the call you put off. Too late to take the advice that could have saved you. Whatever warnings life is giving you now—whether it’s in your health, your relationships, or your walk with God—heed them while you still can.

The most tragic realization in life is that we always had the time—we just used it on the wrong things. Stop for the railroad crossing now, so you don’t have to stop for the funeral later.

There are several scriptural references that align with this powerful lesson about heeding warnings, making time for what truly matters, and avoiding irreversible regret.

Proverbs 22:3: "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty."➡️ A wise person slows down and takes precautions when warnings appear. The foolish ignore them and suffer the consequences. The man who refuses to stop at the railroad crossing is like the simple man who rushes ahead and pays a heavy price.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2: "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die..."➡️ There is a time to pause, a time to reflect, and a time to act. Rushing past the critical moments in life without acknowledging their weight can lead to regret when time runs out.

James 4:13-14: "Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."➡️ We act as if we are in control of time, always pushing things off to “later,” but life is fleeting. If we don’t pause to heed warnings now, we may not get another chance.

Matthew 16:26: "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"➡️ Rushing toward personal ambitions without slowing down to focus on what truly matters—our relationships, our faith, and our well-being—can cost us everything in the end.

1 Thessalonians 5:6: "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober."➡️ A spiritually asleep person ignores warnings and dangers, much like the man who speeds past the railroad crossing. The wise person stays alert, heeds warnings, and lives intentionally.

Luke 12:19-20: "And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’"➡️ The man in this parable thought he had time to enjoy life later, but his time ran out unexpectedly. The same applies to the man who never had "time" to slow down—until life forced him to.

We all have railroad crossings in life—moments where we must decide whether to slow down, take heed, and adjust our course. God’s Word reminds us that wisdom is found in those who stop, listen, and act before it’s too late.

Life moves fast—too fast for some. The man who never had time to slow down at the railroad crossing always finds time for the funeral, but by then, it's too late. How often do we rush past the warnings, convinced that urgency is more important than caution? But time has a way of forcing reflection, whether we like it or not.

Yet, God in His mercy continually calls us to pause, to seek wisdom, and to walk in His ways. Proverbs 14:12 warns, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." 

How often do we ignore the crossing signals in life, thinking we can outrun the consequences? But God, in His love, desires that we heed His voice before it's too late.

Psalm 46:10 reminds us, "Be still, and know that I am God." Slowing down isn't about losing time—it’s about gaining perspective, choosing wisdom over recklessness, and recognizing that God’s design for our lives is one of protection, not restriction. The warnings are not there to limit us but to lead us into life. May we learn to listen while there is still time, choosing the path of life over the road of regret.

Amanda Allen, the author of Kingdom Revelations, holds the copyright to her work, art, graphics, and videos. Copyright © Amanda Allen, Kingdom Revelations, 2025. All rights reserved. This article may be shared with acknowledgment of the author and the original source.