When was the last time you allowed someone else to direct your steps? When we often walk through life on our own we may be missing out on valuable lessons to be learned when we allow someone else to lead the way.
Pictured above are two individuals on a little adventure. As part of a team building experience for an outdoor education program, each member of a group is paired up and given a task. The task for the one blindfolded is to simply follow as her partner leads her on an adventure. The task of the one leading (not known by the blindfolded one) is to lead his partner to a specific tree on this camp’s property that she will then have to go and find once her blindfold is taken off. Throughout the entire experience both the one leading and the one following must be silent.
This picture was taken toward the end of their journey after going over, under and through many obstacles. The hand you see raised by the blindfolded one is not a hello wave, instead it is a hand of protection being held out in front of her, not knowing a picture was being taken. The playground set you see in the background is where this pair just came from and is the reason I am writing about this adventure.
After bringing his partner to a tree and making her feel around and get acquainted with it, hoping she will be able to find it again later, the one leading decided to then lead his partner through this child sized playground set as an added challenge. As I watched her scramble and feel around trying to climb up the little ladder, through the tiny tunnel on her stomach and under bars without hitting her head, I saw something beautiful occurring. I saw trust taking place in one of the most simple yet hardest ways. She was entrusting her physical safety to the one leading her. She had no clue what she was in for when she put that blindfold on, but throughout the entire journey with him she trusted and walked the path that he set for her. At times it was hard for her, at times she didn’t quite understand what was going on, and at times she felt a little fear of the unknown that she was walking into, but she walked on regardless of these things. In the end however, she even had a smile on her face, knowing that she had just experienced life from a different perspective.
As an observer of this event, I was able to draw some parallels between this experience and my own faith life. As a follower of Christ, I have chosen to walk with God through this life of adventure. At times it seems like I am walking blindfolded, having to follow Him in silence, not always knowing where I am going or what I am doing, but simply trusting that I am in good hands. On this journey there will be obstacles and challenges I will have to walk through but His hand of protection will always be present.
I was challenged by this picture to consider how I respond when I’m walking through a time in life with the blindfold on. Do I hold my hand up in attempt to protect myself, even when I don’t know what I’m trying to protect myself from, or do I simply walk at ease knowing that the hand I’m holding is a hand that desires what is good for me. I don’t know why it is always so hard to trust God in everything, but one thing I did learn from watching this event is that the more I know the character of the one leading me, the more I am able to trust Him with my life. So the question that I continually ask myself is: Am I daily seeking to know God more and trust Him as I am being led by His Hand?
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