Just Follow The Tracks

Just Follow the Tracks

[Jesus said,] “If any of you wants to be my follower . . . take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

Luke 9:23

Three men were lost in the middle of the Canadian forest. They decided they had to find some food, so the first man left, saying that he was going hunting.

Several hours later, the man came back with a deer across his shoulders. The other two men were amazed and asked him how he managed to get a deer with no weapons. He replied, “I found tracks. I followed tracks. I got deer.” They were both confused, but they let it go.

A few days later, the men had eaten all the deer meat, so the second man left and said that he was going hunting. He came back a couple of hours later with an elk over his shoulders. The other two men asked how he had gotten the elk, and he simply replied, “I found tracks. I followed tracks. I got elk.”

Later, after they had eaten all the elk meat, the third man said he would go hunting. Feeling cocky, he thought, This will be a piece of cake. I’m going to get an animal that’s better than both of theirs put together!

The other men waited a couple of hours, but the third man did not come back. They waited another couple of hours, but he was still missing.

Finally, after nine hours, he came back. His clothes were shredded, he was covered in dirt with scrapes and bruises all over his body, and he was bleeding from gashes in his arms and legs.

His friends asked, “What happened?”

He looked at them, wide eyed and confused, and replied, “I found tracks. I followed tracks. I got hit by train.”

Heavenly Father, help me always to remember that the only way to you is by following in the footsteps of your Son, Jesus. Keep me on the right path. Amen.