Imagine my alarm as my 12-year-old son exclaimed, “Hey Dad, what kind of snake is this?” Those are words that will immediately command every father’s full attention, especially when his 9-year-old daughter is close behind that son.
About twenty years ago, the three of us were hiking to Abrams Falls deep in the heart of the Great Smokey Mountains. It was a beautiful summer day with a mix of sun and clouds. The hike is not particularly strenuous as it gradually descends a valley to a very beautiful waterfall and has been identified as one of the most scenic excursions in the park.
As we made our way along the trail, my son decided to go rogue and, with my permission, took off up through the trees. He’d been in the woods before and was experienced enough to know what he was doing. Of course, his little sister was right behind him for this big adventure.
When those words rang out, however, I quickly joined the two of them on the ridgetop to exclaim, “That is a garter snake,” as I recognized the yellow, green, and black serpent. But as soon as I’d said it, I noticed another legless reptile nearby, and declared, “But that’s a copperhead. And there’s another one. And there’s another one.” Within a ten-foot radius there were not only two garter snakes, but three copperheads which were much more difficult to detect in the brown leaves. Suddenly, the fun off-trail adventure became a tedious trek back to the well-traveled footpath.
As I led my children out of that danger zone, I cautioned them to step exactly in my footprints and to keep their eyes open for other crawlies as we went. We gingerly made our way glimpsing a fourth copperhead and the shed skin of yet another along the short march. As a responsible parent with two young children, I was more than a little edgy and judiciously examined every square inch as we exited what must have been a singles bar for snakes. For us, however, it seemed more like the valley of the shadow of death. Thankfully, we soon reconnected with the trail, eventually enjoyed the cool pool beneath the falls, and returned to our car without further incident.
This heart stressing experience is not unlike our culture which is a valley of the shadow of spiritual death. We and our children are trekking through a wilderness fraught with multiple deadly hazards. Internet pornography, addictive drugs, and casual sex lay carefully camouflaged all along our pathways and adults and children both can easily step into these dangers unknowingly. Even more subtle perils like prejudice, greed, and selfishness also lurk along our daily routes just waiting to inject their venom into unsuspecting passersby. It is imperative that we carefully examine our every step and diligently endeavor to lead our children safely through these danger zones.
If I had knowingly led my children into peril, I could and should have been charged with endangerment. Many parents, however, fail to realize how closely their kids are following their footsteps into hazardous lifestyles and dangerous situations. It is vital that moms, dads, teachers, coaches, athletes, entertainers, and other role models carefully choose their every step, for many follow them for good or ill. Thankfully, those who know Jesus have a spiritual Protector who orders their steps aright. If we are willing to follow Him, He will lead us to safety and joy.
Let’s recognize the perils that are even more dangerous than poisonous snakes and not only avoid them ourselves, but help our children evade them also. Like the falls at the end of our trail, God has many good things in store for those who stay on Jesus’ pathway, even in deep dark dangerous valleys. If you’ve strayed, ask Him to lead you back. And let’s set good and godly examples with our each and every step for those who follow us. Stepping carefully, George