“God is love. God will undo every block. God will right every wrong. God will bring everyone home.”
Laura Lane from ‘I Touch the Heavens‘
Last Sunday we were discussing at church a talk given by Emily Freeman, General Young Women’s President from the Latter Day Saint October 2023 General Conference. She shared a story of going to Israel to walk what is called the Jesus Trail. The path many believe Jesus would have walked from Nazareth to Capernaum. It is a steep rugged hiking trail that covers 65 kms in Galilee.
Emily related in her story how a month before her trip to Israel, she broke her ankle but decided she would attempt the hike anyways.
My first thoughts were quite judgmental. “What a dumb idea. If this was an organized hike with a guide and a whole group, then this would be an inconvenience to the guide and would inevitably slow down the whole group. To insist that she could hike this trail with crutches and a knee scooter was selfish and inconsiderate.“
It didn’t help when I learned that the guide ended up tying a rope around her waist to pull Emily’s scooter most of the way along that trail. My judgmental thoughts kept churning.
But then I was reminded of my friend Nathan Ogdan. Nathan is quadriplegic yet he has not allowed his disabilities to stop him from participating in many activities. He has gone backwoods hunting, cycled 1200 miles through 3 states, rock climbed, skydived, hiked up a volcano in Guatemala, gone white river rafting and ridden on a Seadoo. He is an expert on overcoming excuses and fears so he can fully participate in all life has to offer.
But he never could have done any of these things alone. He was only able to do them because of the love and support of his amazing family and friends.
My first thought about Emily was that she should have been excluded from the hike and waited until she was completely healed. But in retrospect I realized I would never have thought the same thing about Nathan. I know that Nathan most likely will never be healed from his spinal injuries and I would never tell him he should wait or shouldn’t participate in hard things.
I thought about the Jesus Trail hike and how life can be as rugged and taxing on us as that trail. We might struggle to walk the path, especially a Jesus or God directed path on our own.
None of us can make it without a guide who is willing to hitch themselves to us and help us on the climb.
There are times that we might judge whether others can walk the path to returning to God. We might see them as too broken to make the attempt.
Once we recognize that we can’t do it alone, we can be mindful that everyone else deserves the same kindness and respect and compassion, and to recognize that they equally deserve the chance to walk the path as well no matter how long it may take them, how many falls they might have or how many people it takes to support them to do it.
I would never judge Nathan on how many people it took to support him in his 1200 mile bike ride from Washington State to California or how many people had to take turns carrying him up the mountain. Equally we shouldn’t judge those who are struggling on the path to return to God.
It’s up to us to say “Can I help carry you for the next mile?”
Who do you know who could use a little help or encouragement to stay on life’s rugged path? Who are you willing to hitch yourself to so you can make the climb together? Do you need a little help like Emily or Nathan or are you in a position right now that you can pull or carry someone for the next mile?
“As I view others the way God sees them, with all their frailties and weaknesses as well as their strengths, I can learn to treat them tenderly, view them from God’s perspective: lovingly, tenderly and patiently with love and respect.”
Laura Lane from ‘I Touch the Heavens’