It was the first walk in the first snow of the season. With the wet white stuff falling, I couldn't resist a hike around the one-mile paved track that arcs around a neighborhood park. The mesmerizing flakes tumbled onto turf not quite chilled enough to sustain much accumulation. All the more reason to hurry up, get out, and enjoy.
A glance at the slushy stuff gave evidence that early as it was, I was not the first to start racking up a daily quota of 10-thousand steps.
After a few minutes, I subconsciously began studying the impressions in the snow left by fellow travelers. It was easy to distinguish which steps belonged to men and which belonged to women.
You could tell which of the walkers felt regular shoes were okay versus those who decided it was time to put on heavy boots. The difference in tread was significant.
You could tell which people walked and which jogged. The joggers left a telltale skidding of their heels across the snow's surface.
You could even tell which pets were allowed to roam off-leash. Their footprints were far from their owners'!
And of course, you could tell which direction people were walking. On one leg of the path, there were five sets of footprints, including mine. Four of us were walking in the same direction. Only one person was going the other way.
Consider: not a single person walking that morning began their journey by deciding, "Gee, I think I'll leave some footprints." But leave footprints they did. Footprints revealing a surprising amount of information.
Like us.
We are all leaving footprints. Our daily choices, words, and actions leave footprints—small and large. What do ours say about us?
The question is not will you and I leave footprints for others who come behind us. The question is, what do our footprints say about us, our character, and our walk with Christ?
The naive believes everything,
But the sensible man considers his steps.
— Proverbs 14:15