A Walk On The Nature Trail

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ast Elementary School was located just two blocks from my house on Main Street.  Every morning I would set out for school, walking when the weather permitted, which was almost every day.  I left the house each morning with my head full of dreams, my heart full of excitement, and my book satchel full of papers, tablets, pencils, and homework. 

My first grade classroom was the furthest away from everything.  It took forever to get there but Mrs. Avery was ready to start as soon as the bell sounded.  We all took our seats, opened our tablets, and started learning to read and write.  After an hour or so of work came the best part of the day—playtime!  East School had a large blacktop area where we went to play.  There was a set of monkey bars, several basketball goals, and a large circle that was used to play dodge ball. 

Very close to the school, just behind the teacher’s parking lot, was a large stand of trees.  We simply referred to it as East Woods, a foreboding and intimidating place, especially for six-year-olds.  A group of men had come to the woods and constructed a nature trail so we could see the plants and the animals that lived in the woods.  The trail started at one end of the school and ended at the playground.   Today, this distance is a matter of 10 minutes walk, but back then, it was a journey to the other side of the planet.

Mrs. Avery gave us very explicit instructions about visiting the nature trail.  We were to stay on the graveled path.  We could look all we wanted but we could not leave the path and under no circumstances were we to touch anything.  Poison Oak was also an inhabitant of the woods and one we could do without.

I remember our first jaunt into the woods.  It was a pretty day but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy, as if the whole world had disappeared and only we were left.  There were all kinds of movements in the woods, and different noises from the chirping of birds to the knocking of a woodpecker in the distance.  I remembered what Mrs. Avery had said and I stuck to the path.  No way was I going to wonder off the graveled path and risk being eaten by some wild animal or something worse.  Finally, we reached the end of the nature trail, exited onto the blacktop and had a wonderful game of dodge ball.  The woods weren’t so foreboding from the other end but they sure were horrifying while we were in them.

In many ways, the Christian walk is similar to my experience on our school’s nature trail.  There are many things along life’s road that are harmful and deadly to us.  Jesus gave us full warning that we were to be in the world but not part of it.  There is also a distinct path laid out for us that takes us safely from the beginning to the end of life.  It winds through this world, taking us around temptations, safely bridging the waters of adversity and trial, and giving us shelter from the scorching rays of life’s sun.  As we enter the forest of life, we hear Jesus give us this strong truth and warning found in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”   

Along this road of life, we are in desperate need of a savior, one who will go before us and show us the way so that we don’t get off the narrow path.  Jesus is such a savior.  He goes before us and bids us follow him.  He walks the path with us and makes sure we understand that we are to remain on the narrow strip of road that leads to eternal life.  All around us are things that would lure us off this little pathway.  There are broader roads that look easier but in the end they lead to ruin.  There are roads that seemingly have better views and inclines that are less steep but they only lead us astray, in the end going nowhere.  Only the strait and narrow way will provide us safe passage through life’s forest.

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nly that narrow gate will lead us to our heavenly home.  While we are here, let us determine, dear Christian that we will not leave the narrow graveled path that God has provided for us.  Let us remain faithful to walk within the boundaries of the road God has made for us.  Only by remaining on the path can we ever hope to arrive safely at our destination.  Only by walking with God and following the example of His son, Jesus Christ can we ever hope to safely walk through life's treacherous forest. Are you taking a walk on the nature trail today?  Don’t get off the path!