SMOOTH SAILING, DEAD ENDS
To them, it's a piece of cake — to me, it's suicide! Lately, as I've been out for a walk, I've noticed a pile of black and reddish-brown caterpillars making their way across the road. Why are they crossing the road? To get to the other side (sorry). To be honest, I don't know! Maybe they're bored. Perhaps there's a great caterpillar diner that this furry fraternity all frequent. Personally, I think this kind of migrational meandering is shrouded in too much instinctual gobbledygook for me to fathom, but I still worry for my furry little crawlies. I mean, if you walk at the rate they walk, and if you're as small as they are, you're bound to eventually encounter those who don't "tread" lightly. Believe me, it's not a pretty sight when these furry erasers end up occupying the same space where the rubber meets the road!
I wonder if they're aware of the danger? Frankly, I doubt it! From their perspective, the moment they hit the pavement, it's smooth sailing for as far as their beady little eyes can see. After all, when you hit the road, the difficulties of climbing rocks and grass and the uneven terrain of the ditch, are all over — still, from my vantage point, the risks are considerable! From my beady-eyed perspective, smooth sailing and cruise control can just as easily become a dead end. Perspective is everything!
I wonder how differently we would handle our life's migration if we had a God's-eyed perspective of things? Would we also find that the uneven, slow-going, tough sledding of life's ditches are to be preferred over the smooth sailings of our straightaways? Is it also true for us that putting our lives into cruise control can direct us to a dead end? All I know is that life isn't meant to be lived on auto pilot. I prefer to drive down a road with hills and twists and turns — rather than driving down a mind-numbing flat four lane expanse. It's true that my progress may not be as rapid, but it is infinitely more significant and satisfying.
OK, so what am I trying to say? Well, let me see if I can empty out my cliche closet today: Beware of the path of least resistence! Don't follow the crowd! Swim upstream. Tread lightly and carry a big stick! (Sorry, I think a few of the cliches got tangled up!)
Jesus said:"All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them. Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from what lies ahead'? But that is the very reason why I came! Father, bring glory to your name." (John 12:26,27)If you have any comments or thought, I'd love to hear from you, just click on my name at the bottom of the page and I promise to respond.
