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Topic: Paths (05/17/04)
TITLE: Ant Business By Brenda Kern 05/23/04 |
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The ant patiently moved along on the sidewalk for a while.
I observed, Godlike, from above, and wondered where he was really going.
His destination seemed clear at first, then he veered off in a different direction that appeared to be about ninety degrees off course. He meandered along that path for a few inches, then turned back and retraced his steps to his original heading, more or less.
He made many of these little side journeys, but always, eventually, got back on track.
I thought, "Dude! You would get there so much faster if you went in a straight line! Why all the detours?"
Then I wondered what I'd see if I could shrink myself w-a-a-y down to his size, see things at his level, and have his perspective on the walkway by strolling beside him.
Did he veer off to the left, that first time, because of a grain of sand that I didn't even see? Maybe to him it clearly was a mountain around which one MUST make a detour.
Or maybe another tangent was taken because of an enormous body of water--a whole DROP!
Perhaps he considered scaling the blade of grass, but wind conditions at the highest altitudes would have made that climb treacherous and not worth the risk.
Though the terrain looked generally even to me, it's possible that to him it appeared to be a vast, grayish-white plain of hills and dips, of valleys and peaks, with some spots smooth and some rough.
Whether his travels were easy or not, Mr. Ant was simply making the journey from one point to another, carrying out his ant business, via the best path he could. I imagined that he was grateful for the progress he was able to make without the occurrence of tragedy that was all-too-common when traversing the gray/white plain. He probably never knew that I had observed him from above and had voiced some advice for him in my thoughts.
Speaking of observation from above: does God look down on MY wandering path and think, "Dudette, you would get there so much faster if you went in a straight line. Why all the detours?"
I think the answer must be "No," because He is so much more than a dispassionate observer, as I was with the ant.
He can see the road ahead from my perspective because He is walking by my side. He is aware of the challenging mountains and the threatening seas, and He knows all about the decisions to be made between playing it safe and taking a risk.
In fact, He not only sees the obstacles ahead, in some cases He knows them well because He placed them there! His reasons for doing so may not be fully clear at this time, or even in this life, but what does that really matter?
What should my response be?
My responsibility is simply this: to keep trundling along and doing my Father's business, with the occasional veer or detour, but always returning to the original course, even if I have to backtrack a bit. I must stay in a constant state of consulting the SON (as the ant consulted the SUN) to stay on track!
As I "keep on keeping on," and count on His protective watchfulness, I expect to cross the gray plains where I find myself now and eventually reach the lush green expanse of the Promised Land.
Uh-oh! Monday's surprise placed a pebble-sized problem in my path, dead ahead...
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Brenda Kern
May 22, 2004