Shelburne: What our footprints may reveal
When I opened our front door that morning and stepped outside, the summer sun already had lit up the sky, but it was still hiding below the horizon. It was two hours earlier than this retired old codger usually ventures out. I had to get to a breakfast meeting that day.
I used to rise every day before the sun. Now it had been several weeks since I had watched it light up the sky. As I stood and gazed at that grand display, I realized how much I had missed watching the world wake up.
As I stood on our front porch and pondered God’s dawn show, for some reason my eye caught the shine of silver snail trails the still-muted sunrays were lighting up on our sidewalk.
Then, on that same section of sidewalk, I spotted other footprints.
Although rain showers and lawn watering had washed off most of his tracks, clumps of mud from our mail carrier’s boots clung to the surface near the porch. And, as I looked closer, along the walk I could see faint mud tracks of a lawnmower — marks left behind when the only time our mowing guy could find to work that week was while our lawn sprinklers were running.
As I contemplated all the tell-tale signs of recent movements on that narrow section of concrete, I was struck by the truth that, without knowing it, all of us leave behind footprints all of the time. Everywhere we go. Every time we speak. Every time we do anything, either bad or good. Our indelible footprints leave an undeniable record of what we’ve done and where we’ve been.
If you delivered Meals on Wheels or cheered at a grandchild’s ball game or stepped into God’s house for worship this week, you left a trail. If you sneaked into a shameful place and behaved in ways you wouldn’t want your mother or your spouse or your pastor ever to know about, your filthy footprints will likely reveal your misbehavior. Maybe sooner than you think.
“A prudent man gives thought to his steps,” the wise man said in Proverbs 14. The apostle Peter reminds us that Christ “left us an example” that we “should follow in his steps.” “Direct my footsteps according to your word,” the ancient psalmist prayed. “Let no sin rule over me.” A good prayer for all of us.
Gene Shelburne is pastor emeritus of the Anna Street Church of Christ, 2310 Anna St. Contact him at GeneShel@aol.com, or get his books and magazines at www.christianappeal.com. His column has run on the Faith page for more than three decades.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Shelburne: What our footprints may reveal
