On one of my runs the other morning, I found a little roly poly trying to make its way across the broad sidewalk. My dog was with me and she began to sniff the grass as I watched this little critter try and make it to the grass himself.
A lot of feet make their way down this path. And sure enough, when I looked up there was a line of people coming in my direction on their morning walk.
I decided to help this roly poly leave the dangerous sidewalk unscathed, and I also needed to catch my breath from my run as well. But for whatever reason, probably because I was a big human, this pillbug would not crawl up my hand so I could transport it.
So instead, I decided to use my feet to block it from veering back across the wide sidewalk.
It would crawl forward, then I would move my feet in such a way that continued to help it know the safest direction to move in. My actions proved successful when this roly poly finally made his way to the green grass.
Hoping that it was thankful for what I had done for it, I concluded that it was just moving away from my scary large running shoes. This roly poly had no idea that what I was doing for it was actually leading it to safety.
For all I know, he saw me as the greatest threat to his little life that he ever experienced. Where, in reality, I was providing him, or her (I don’t know how to tell the gender of these guys), protection, guidance and literally salvation.
Who does this metaphor bring to mind for you? Well, it brought to my mind the Lord.
How often do we mistaken the protection, salvation and leading of the Lord towards the best for us as an unwanted interruption in our lives and comfort?
How often do we not realize what He has already protected us from as we find ourselves being blocked by His so called “running shoes”? (That would be amazing if Jesus went on runs too!)
Instead we get upset, we get angry, and we want to be the ones in full control believing that crossing a dangerous wide sidewalk is the right way to go.
Trust God as He directs your life. Trust Him as He closes doors that would have caused you harm and leads you to where you do not want to go. His vantage point is exceptional and He can see what is headed your way.
No doubt this roly poly was afraid of me, no doubt he was frustrated that he had to go back the way he came, and no doubt he probably tried to cross that sidewalk once I was out of the way.
Yet, that particular morning, I was reminded how when life’s circumstances appear chaotic or scary, like it did for that little roly poly that day, God is still and always will be in control and looking out for His children.