If you’re not called to be a trail blazer, here’s a job for you …

Not everyone is called to be a trail blazer.

In fact, I believe few are called to take on the work of blazing an entirely new trail. But that doesn’t mean there’s not important work for those who are not original trail blazers.

One of my favorite beaches on earth is Limantour Beach located near Petaluma, California, about an hour north of San Francisco. It’s part of the Point Reyes National Seashore and has several beautiful stretches of sandy beaches.

What I enjoy about Limantour Beach is that set back from the beach itself are several miles of trails that snake along the coastline, offering some spectacular ocean views, as well as some interesting sights inland.

As I have hiked these trails over the years, I notice that at times the trails become crowded out with growth from the wild grasses growing naturally alongside the man-made trails. Sometimes, the trails become so clogged that small teams of men and women are sent in with equipment to clear out the trails. If this wasn’t done from time to time, the trails would eventually become so overgrown with the natural grasses and plant life that the trails would become lost altogether. The result would be that hikers, bicyclists and horse riders would lose their path to some of the most scenic areas of Northern California.

Like those teams who help keep open the oceanside trails that have already been blazed, we Christians have a responsibility to help keep open the trail that leads to God. With a plethora of information available to us today, it’s easy for weeds to grow up and attempt to crowd out the purity and clarity of the Gospel. Besides new trail blazers, what is often needed are men and women who are willing to take on the labor of keeping the path clear of weeds so that others may see and follow the path that leads to God.

Does the labor of your life help provide a clear path to God for others?

Scotty