Good morning,
A few mornings ago, I took a walk down Preacher Holmes road. It was a pleasant morning with the sun shining through the canopy of trees. As I walked along, I spotted a box turtle on the side of the road with its head pointed toward the opposite side of the road. I knew that there was a very slim chance it would make it across the road before getting crushed by an oncoming vehicle. Feeling a bit good-natured, I decided to help the turtle cross to the other side, making sure to set it down pointing in the same direction as when I found it. Then I continued my walk.
I had not gone but a short distance when I spotted another turtle attempting the same dangerous feat. So like the first one, I picked this one up and carried it to the other side of the road.
Believe it or not, this happened two more times on the same stretch of road. I have helped other turtles in the past but never four within a short period of time.
Later, I thought about what I had experienced and could not help to think about my own life. It is hard telling how many times Jesus has picked me up from some dangerous road I was attempting to cross, saving me from my own ignorance and self will. In my youth, for example, there were jobs that I thought I wanted that did not work out. There were relationships with friends and others that could have led to serious problems. I could go on and on but the point is that Jesus was always there to rescue me. I made sure to point the turtles in the same direction they were traveling but Jesus pointed me in the right direction.
Turtles cannot conceive the risk of crossing a busy road, so they are determined to go on. Thankfully, Jesus has given us his spirit to guide us away from taking the wrong road and pursuing our fleshly desires.
By the way, I have a bit of a fondness toward box turtles. When I was a young boy, I found a box turtle that only had three legs. I’m not sure what happened to its missing leg, nor do I remember what I named it. (I can only imagine.) I kept the turtle for a pet and even entered it in a pet contest at a 4-H fair and won a couple ribbons.
Tom