Footsteps

Nineteen ninety-seven was the year I quit the Post Office, packed up my family and moved to Bangor, Maine, to attend seminary. It was also the year Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen published their Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul book. Their Chicken Soup book series consists of inspirational true stories about ordinary people’s lives, and it was a gigantic best-seller from the start. In fact, the original series held a spot on the New York Times Best Seller list continuously from 1994 to 1998. They are great reads and worthy of your time to this day. I recently thumbed through this twenty-five-year-old book and found a story I just had to share with you. It was told by Davida Dalton. Davida said…

         “It was a busy day in our Costa Mesa, California, home. But then, with ten     

    children and one on the way, every day was a bit hectic. On this particular day,

    however, I was having trouble doing even routine chores – all because of one little

    boy.

        Len, who was three at the time, was on my heels no matter where I went.     

    Whenever I stopped to do something and turned back around, I would trip over him.

    Several times, I patiently suggested fun activities to keep him occupied, ‘Wouldn’t

    you like to play on the swing set?’ I asked again.

        But he simply smiled an innocent smile and said, ‘Oh, that’s all right, Mommy. I’d

    rather be in here with you.’ Then he continued to bounce happily along behind me.

        After stepping on his toes for the fifth time, I began to lose my patience and

    insisted that he go outside and play with the other children. When I asked him why

    he was acting this way, he looked up at me with sweet green eyes and said, ‘Well,     

    Mommy, in Primary my teacher told me to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. But I can’t see

    Him, so I’m walking in yours.’

        I gathered Len in my arms and held him close. Tears of love and humility spilled

    over from the prayer that grew in my heart – a prayer of thanks for the simple, yet

    beautiful perspective of a three-year-old boy.”

 Imagine, your footsteps “filling in” for Jesus’. It reminded me of when the apostle Paul said, “Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example” (Philippians 3:17). Not because he got it all right. He clearly points that out in verses twelve through thirteen. No, Paul was talking about verse fourteen. “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:14). Yes. Through it all, he keeps on keeping on. He continues to try. Pushes on to reach the goal. Paul is saying “Imitate my effort. Don’t give up. Keep trying.” Could we say that? Wouldn’t it be nice to say to a three-year-old or a forty-three-year-old, “Follow in my footsteps. I will not lead you astray. Do as I do.”           

If you are not there yet. Keep trying. Don’t give up. You may be the only Bible someone will ever read. The only example of Christian faith they will know personally. Be Jesus by example. Show people that if they pattern their life after yours and learn from your example, they will experience such mercy, grace, and love that there is only one explanation. God is real and He loves them.           

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