Fearless

I recently saw the need to trim some of the lower hanging branches on a couple of trees in our yard.  A couple of them were so low that I would bump my head when walking under the tree. Others were casting too much shade, and inhibiting the growth of the grass below.

            I have a power pole saw, so the actual cutting was not too difficult. At the same time, holding a saw like that over your head for a period of time can be tiring. And then there were those branches that required that I stand on my ladder to trim.  Yes, there I was, high up on the ladder, reaching out with the long pole saw to cut the branches I felt would make everything look better.

            More than once it occurred to me, “Be careful. Don’t fall.”  My wife was with me, and wanted to steady the ladder. But I wouldn’t let her do that, because I didn’t want any branches to fall on her. And so I kept at the job, seeking to be careful, knowing that carelessness could lead to serious injury.

            I used to be fearless.  When needing to get to the pasture at home where I grew up, I would take two steps and jump across the ditch. Yes, there was a bridge, but that was quicker, depending on where I was. I climbed every tree in that yard at some point, and I went wading up the creek barefoot all summer long, never concerned about jagged rocks or water moccasins.  Again I will repeat it. Fearless.

            Perhaps a synonym for fearless might be foolish in some circumstances.  It makes more sense to be careful than to jump in without looking. 

            And yet, there are those times when God says to us. “Follow me.” He does not give full instructions as to what we might see and do.  Abraham, Joseph, and Moses (among others) were simply told, “Follow me.” The same was true for the disciples and Paul. And that is God’s call for you and me. 

            It is not foolish to follow the Lord when He says to follow Him. It is faithful. And I pray for all of us that we will be faithful. This I know. God is always faithful.