THE TRACE YOU LEAVE BEHIND

by Barbara Chadwick

 

 

“We don’t hack on bushes, we don’t hack on trees and we don’t hack on people.”

Andy Hornbaker was training a group of men backpacking into the high Uinta mountains of Utah. The training was called, “Leave no trace behind.” 

In life we do leave traces. Our words and actions are often etched onto the minds of others.

One evening we were sharing a meal with extended family. There were twelve of us sitting around the table. For some reason half of them were ragging on my sister-in-law. One tease after another – relentless. Why do we hack away at people just because they are a “good sport?”

As we were leaving I said to her, “I want you to know how much I appreciate you. You have always been an encouragement and an inspiration to me and I want to thank you.” Her eyes filled with tears and she hugged me. On the way home I felt badly that I didn’t say that at the table in her defense.

Paul said, So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. Romans 14:19 

Paul shares this theme in other books of the New Testament as well: …Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ… Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves… Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:27; 2:3, 5  (Note: To “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus” means to value what Jesus values. Apologetics Study Bible, p. 1775)

Jesus valued people. He loved people so much that:  For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

The Lord is very compassionate and merciful. James 5:11

Jesus didn’t hack on people. Instead , in the Sermon On The Mount of Matthew chapter five He instructs believers to be encouraging:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted.  Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness because they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:1-10

 

Let the trace you leave behind be gentle, compassionate, merciful, pure, peaceful and humble. Do not hack.