Off the Beaten Path

Walking through the park with my family, we started out on a walking trail and I was so happy and content and enjoying all of what God has made:  colorful leaves, leaves crunching under my feet, blue skies, my two favorite people…the list goes on.  We walked along the trail when shortly we came to the “end”…you know, when the worn out part is no more.  Hmmm, my mind said, “Hey, let’s turn around and get back on the path.”  But if you’re my husband, your mind says, “Hey, let’s see where this can lead us.”   My daughter’s mind was working much like mine at this moment.  Getting off the beaten path made her nervous asking questions such as “What if there’s poison ivy?!  Will we get in trouble?  Are we allowed to do this?  What if we get arrested?!”  We adventured for a little bit longer and eventually made it back to the “trail”…you know, the one you’re allowed to be on J  At the moment my daughter’s feet hit the path, I heard her breathe a sigh of relief as she said, “Aaaah, finally!”  That’s when it hit me.

I wish my journey with God, that when I get off the “trail,” that it made me that nervous, nervous enough to jump right back on track where God wants me.  But we’re allowed to venture off the trail, we’re allowed to see where it leads us, we’re allowed to see what’s “over there.”  And I guess in that moment when I saw her relief, she taught me.  Taught me to have faith like a child.  I wonder why it takes us adults so much longer to get back on track sometimes when we get in our selfish ways.  When we’re on the right path, we always know it’s better there…so what’s so appealing off the beaten path?  In those moments I want to remember child-like questions such as “What if there’s poison ivy?!  Will we get in trouble?  Are we allowed to do this?  What if we get arrested?!...”

Proverbs 22:6 NLT

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Matthew 18:3 NLT

Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.”