So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. —Galatians 5:1 NLT
The path is wide enough for us to walk side by side, but my daughters, full of youthful energy and ambition, spring ahead of me. I don’t mind. I enjoy few things more than seeing kids have fun outside, so I’m glad to watch them as we hike up the small mountain.
As we walk, I notice that even though we’re on the same trail, our individual hikes are different. My oldest daughter stays close to the middle of the path and deals with whatever roots, rocks, or other obstacles she crosses. My youngest will have walked the most steps by the time we reach the end, not only because she has the shortest legs, but also because she zig-zags from side to side. I aim for the path of least resistance.
Noticing our different choices on the same trail makes me think of how unique our walk with Christ can be. Paths, walks, and journeys are all familiar words in our “vocabulary of faith” that we use to describe our relationship with Christ. I think these words are often used to imply commonality—indicating that we’re all headed in the same direction, walking with the same Lord. But what I see as the three of us traverse the same trail is a variety of individual decisions playing out.
My daughters do not choose to walk the exact way I do, and I resist the urge to tell them how I would do it, because they don’t need to do it exactly how I would. They know their own strengths, abilities, and preferences, and they are aware of the obstacles in front of them. The truth is, paths are relational. They are not roads, built for haste with all possible barriers removed. Paths are carved out over time by familiarity and habit, a result of a relationship between the pathfinder and the land. This particular path we hike is built for recreation and allows for a million small choices to be made simply for the delight of it all.
Like my readiness to share unsolicited hiking advice with my daughters, I sometimes feel the urge to suggest to other people what their faith journey should look like (or sometimes silently criticize their walk). Those of us who believe Jesus’ words, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT), find ourselves on the same path, but along that path, a fellow believer’s choices may differ from mine. People do what they do for many reasons, and I must trust that if God has given us a generous amount of freedom to choose, who am I to impose my personal preferences and limitations on others? Perhaps if I keep quiet, watch, and listen, I will learn something new about walking the way of Christ (of course, I’m happy to offer advice, should anyone ask).
I think G.K. Chesterton said it best in his book Orthodoxy: “And the more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.”
Friends, as we walk this path together, let us delight in seeing good things run wild, sometimes differently than we expect.
Dear God of Creation, thank You for the beautiful, wild things You have given us to enjoy on this earth. Give us new eyes to see as You see. Give us new hearts to rejoice in what brings You joy. Give us new mouths that are slow to speak. Give us new ears to help us to listen. Give us souls that will expand to behold Your glory. Amen.
In His love,
Jayna Venturini
Sweet Selah Ministries
Vision
To inspire a movement away from the belief that “busy is better”
and toward the truth of God’s Word that stillness and knowing
Him matter most—and will be reflected in more effective work and service
Mission
To offer biblical resources and retreats that help women pause (Selah)
and love God more deeply as they know Him more intimately (Sweet)
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