Footprints in the Snow

An unsullied expanse of snow is a beautiful sight. To preserve the recent pristine white as long as possible, I tried to walk along the edges of the sidewalk. The stretch of snow in front of my house made it, intact, nearly to the end of the cold. 

The last morning, I walked out the front door, headed to the barn. I took my usual edge-of-the-sidewalk route but, after a few steps, noticed something unexpected. Large footsteps marched in a row, right through the center of the snow. They were a male's prints, and considerably larger than mine. 

What in the world? I thought. After another moment, I realized the source of the snow disturbance. The UPS man had boldly walked straight up the path to the door. Every step had left a clear impression in the snow.

As I stared at the evidence he'd left behind, as well as my own footprints in the snow, I realized an important truth. Where we walk, and how, are more important than we realize. Every step we make leaves an imprint, though not often visible to us.

Jesus' instructions to the disciples rang in my heart. "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." (Mark 1:17 nasb) If we choose to follow Him, we, too, must walk in His steps, both where and how He walked. How? It was because of God's great love for us that Jesus came, and it that same love for which He persevered all the way to the cross. If we are to walk as He walked, then, we must walk in love - for God and for others.

In eternity, we'll see the impact our steps have made. Unfortunately, not all of mine will have left a positive impact. I can't change my wrong steps, but I can make better choices for the future. 

Today, let's ask God to give us a glimpse of our own footprint. Do my steps draw me closer to Him? Does every step lead someone else closer to Christ, as well? If not, pray that God will direct our paths in such a way that He will be glorified and honored by our life's journey, all the way until He leads us home.

"Your ears will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right or to the left." Isaiah 30:21 nasb

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In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: The Growing Your Faith Retreat and How You Can Be a Part