Footprints

Matt Harding quit his job in Australia in 2003 and traveled through Asia until his money ran out. While on the trip, he started shooting video of himself dancing in exotic locations. A couple of years after he posted it on the Internet, someone discovered it, passed it on, and it achieved "viral video" status, making Matt somewhat famous.

In 2006 he made a second video with the same concept, traveling through 39 countries on all seven continents. He finally came to the attention of the people who make Stride^® gum. They funded yet another worldwide journey in 2007 and the result is the "Happy People Dancing" video.

I dare you to watch it without smiling or laughing right out loud.

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A CLASSIC WITH A TWIST

You have a dream that you and the Lord are walking together down the shore of life. His footprints are steady, consistent, rarely varying the pace. Yours are all over the place; starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, returns. It goes on like this for a long while, but gradually your footprints come to parallel the Lord's steps. You and He are walking as true friends.

Then you notice that your footprints gradually no longer walk next to His, but begin to walk *inside* His steps, your smaller footprints fitting easily into His larger ones. But as your way travels, you notice that your footprints gradually begin to grow larger until finally, there is only the one set of footprints.

But then something unexpected occurs. The second set of footprints is back. This time worse than the beginning! There are zig-zags, gashes in the sand, swoops and lines and partial prints. You're amazed and shocked and then your dream ends. Your prayer begins.

"Lord, I understand the first scene, where my footprints were all over. I was a new Christian, just learning and I didn't always follow You well. But you kept guiding me through the storms of life."

The Lord replies, "That is correct."

"And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps; following You very closely."

"Very good, my child. You have understood everything so far."

"And, Lord, when the smaller footprints grew, I suppose I was becoming like You in every way."

"Precisely."

"So, Lord, what happened at the end? Did I fall away from You? Our footprints separated, and it was worse than at first!"

You could almost hear the smile in the Lord's voice, "You truly don't know? It was then that we danced!"

[by Pastor John L. Bechtel, via Wit and Wisdom]

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WISDOM for YOUR WEEK: "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven ... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance ..." (Ecclesiastes 3: 1,4)

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