Footprints Washed Away in the Sand
Do you think G-d thinks of us as whiny?
Catherine and I were walking on the beach in Hawaii (oh, did I mention that Catherine and I got to go to Hawaii?).
There was a couple walking ahead of us; she was closer to the water than he was. Every once in a while, a wave would come up and wash away her tracks. The tracks looked funny – as if one of the walkers disappeared every now and again.
That made us think of the old “footprints in the sand story.”
You know the one, where the guy dreams that he looks back on his life, and there are footprints in the sand – his and Jesus’. He realizes that one set of footprints disappears at times, and he accuses Jesus of abandoning him during his rough years.
The Lord responds by saying, “No, those were the times I carried you.”
Looking at our Hawaii beach prints, I imagined the story shifting slightly, with me in it.
Instead of accusing, I get all misty-eyed (having seen the story on a hundred plaques through his life), and say, “Ah, look where there is only one set of prints. You must have carried me then.”
And Jesus replies, “I don’t think so, Einstein. The waves just washed away one set of prints. I never carried you. I let you lean on me, and pulled through with you, and I never left your side as you weaved like a drunken sailor, but brother you walked the whole way.”
And I gripe, “But I thought you were the nice guy that would never make me struggle if I didn’t want to!”
And Jesus would reply, “Seriously, if you want someone to carry you, first you’re going to have to lay off the donuts. And second, find a god that doesn’t care so much about you. Remember that suffering produces perseverance, which develops character, which leads to hope? You want me to deny you hope just so you can piggy back when the sand starts feeling hot on your tender little toesies? Grow up.”
Okay, he probably wouldn’t be all that snotty to me.
But he might be tempted.
Just my thoughts,
Sean
You'll find the original HERE!
Eric
