Look Behind You

1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV) Abstain from all appearance of evil.

 One summer when I was around eight years old, my parents took our family on a two-week vacation to Yellowstone National Park. Once we entered the park, my dad told us that we needed to keep close to him and always stay on the trail, because there were wild animals like bear and moose living in the woods.

While on a hike with my father and older sisters, I started to lag behind because I was little and had much shorter legs. A fallen tree across the trail was no problem for the others, but I had a tough time getting over it. I could see my dad and sisters getting farther and farther away, but I still couldn't manage to get over the log.

"Help, Daddy!" I screamed. "A moose is gonna get me!"

I have no idea why I was more afraid of a moose than a bear, but I needed my daddy's assistance. He made his way back, lifted me easily over the log, and dried my little-girl tears.

"Don't worry, Snooks. I won't let anything happen to you."

Sometimes when you're facing a new challenge, it's smart to keep your eye on someone more experienced. As a new Christian, I mirrored the actions of some mature ladies in my church. I watched these women as they served in Sunday School, youth group, nursery duty, and visiting the sick and elderly.

On rare occasions, one of these women would do something not-very-Christian-like and it would confuse me. What helped resolve the confusion was the woman who came to me afterward and apologized for her behavior. She said she was sorry for disappointing me and asked me not to put her on a pedestal. I respected that.

None of us are perfect and we will always sin. We must remember, however, that there are others on the path behind us who are watching. I try to keep in mind those young Christians as I go about my life, and remember a little encouragement and a well-placed apology go a long way. I never want to hurt anyone with my actions.

There is always someone trailing behind who might be looking up to you.

***

Female in Motion Exercise Update: My feet and legs were giving me fits last week and I only exercised twice. I saw my primary care doctor this morning and he has ordered several tests in the next two weeks, along with physical therapy. I will keep you posted.

***

Notable Quote:

"A sad soul can kill quicker than a germ."--John Steinbeck