Friday, September 17, 2010

YOUR PRINTS

Where Would They Lead?


I was listening to my favorite radio station a couple days ago and the DJ was commenting on a song that had just played. The song I don't remember, but his words struck me as something worth thinking about. He said, "there has been a lot of press about our 'carbon footprint' in the news over the last few months and how they affect the earth for millions of years. How many of us think about how our physical footprints affect the earth and who would they lead?" Then we can ask ourselves how long those prints will last.
That made me think of song from, oh, maybe the 60's, I don't really remember because it was a country song and I have tried to forget as many of those as possible. But the song was, "If Finger Prints Showed Up On Skin, Whose Would Show Up On You?" Yeah, that's why I've tried to forget, not a pretty visual, but in a way, it's the same thought as who would your footprints lead?
Whose fingerprints would you find there...family of course, friends you haven't seen in a long time, maybe even someone you don't particularly like. But would you find the little old man or lady who sits in the nursing home day after day waiting for someone to come and give them a hug, or the person who lives on your street but looks very different from you, or what about the person who ran a red light and smashed your new car? The unlovable in general, the EGR's (extra grace required) in your life. Those whose views differ from your own...

If you think about it for a minute -- the footprint part -- there is really no telling who you lead, or maybe who follows you. Of course we automatically think, my children and grandchildren (their friends and children, too), but also spouses, siblings, friends, co-workers (maybe even bosses)... depending on your profession, maybe patients, students, clients, even the carhop who brings out your coke at Sonic....your prints could be endless.

My first thought was to myself and it went something like this...Yeah, maybe the children, grandchildren, spouse and, okay, maybe friends, but beyond that, I'm just not responsible. Well, okay, maybe my siblings, but that's not fair, I'm not "my brothers keeper" (just a little pun here), umm...okay I will accept that maybe I could be responsible for how my footprints might affect them. The rest of those people though are on their own.

My second thought was to God and it went something like this...okay, so maybe there are people both known to me, and those I have yet to meet, who follow my footprints. Just where have I been walking over the last half century (ok, maybe longer) that doesn't lead to You? I can think of a couple trails I wish I had blazed differently.

These paths and prints could be intentional or not, real foot paths, or verbal expressions, visual indiscretions, physical or emotional bruises, I guess there are as many possibilities as there are people. Only we, ourselves and our God, knows where our footprints have been, but be assured, others have followed, into eternity.

My third and last thought for tonight is...let's make a conscience effort to know just where our prints lead, even if we can't know everyone who follows them.

Father, may all our footprints lead to You.

I love you all, good night. :-)