Thorn Removal
By Justin March

As many of you know, walking the dogs is one of my favorite times of the
day.  It gives my wife and I a break from our hectic work schedules, and
it allows us to leave the house to breathe in that refreshing mountain air.
We are rewarded with a little exercise, we are given a chance to catch up with
each other, and we feel our moods brighten as the beauty around us encapsulates
our senses.  It may seem like a simple act to most people, but for us, it
is a time to take care of one another and relish in the joy of our canine
companions.

One thing I love about living in Colorado is the beauty of the differing
landscapes.  In one thirty minute walk, I can witness colorful flowers,
enormous trees, majestic mountains, and plush grass.  I can pass by
neighbors that send a friendly hello, and the dogs can greet those other
four-legged creatures enjoying their laps around the trails.  It is a
perfect part of our day, and as we bask in the amazing creation God surrounds
us with, we feel blessed to have these moments.

Like most things in life, though, there are a few areas we need to try to avoid
while taking our walks.  Amongst all the beauty that lines the sidewalks
and trails of our well, laid out paths, there are thorn patches that lurk just
outside the boundaries.  They are not easy to see, yet they are avoidable
if you just stay the pre-determined course.  But for the dogs, they are
not quite as keen as we are in avoiding the thorns, and every so often, they
make the mistake of venturing too far and stepping on one of these painful
surprises.

The first time it happened, I remember their first reaction.  They pulled
back quickly, not sure of what they had actually encountered.  They tried
to take another step and instantly understood that the thorn dug deeper with
every movement.  They tried to remove it with their teeth, but the shape
of their snout and the distance to their paw made it almost impossible.
They tried to scrape their pad across the sidewalk, but that stubborn thorn was
not going to release its’ grip.  No matter what those canines tried to do,
removing this nuisance was not something they could accomplish by themselves.

So, they needed help.  They knew the thorn was painful, but this was a new
experience.  And as I knelt down, grabbed their leg, and tried to bring it
closer to me, the initial reaction was to pull away.  They were leery of
what I may do to that painful infliction, and I had to move slowly, build
trust, and show them that I was there to help them remove the cause of that
festering wound.  It took a few tries as the dogs were unsettled and
hurting, but once I had their paw firmly in my hand, I was able to remove that
stubborn thorn.

God is calling us to remove the thorns.  He is asking us to build a
community where love, forgiveness, and grace dominate the paths we walk
along.  He wants us to be patient with one another, he wants us to care
for one another, and he wants us to be willing to step in when that thorn needs
to be removed.  At first, we may be met with resistance, but if we take a
slow, humble, and understanding approach, trust begins to build.  And
before you know it, you become that person another seeks out when they need a
little help removing that thorn.

Now, when one of the dogs step on those pesky thorns, they immediately stop and
look for us.  They do not allow the thorn to penetrate further, deepen the
wound, or fester within their vulnerable paw.  They simply raise their
leg, and let us know they ventured too far and found that thorn patch
again.  They trust we will remove the hurt, and in just a matter of
seconds, we are back on track and traveling the path that has been laid down
before us.

Stay the course and do your best to travel the path God has given.  Show
each other the grace we need, love each other as Jesus loves us, and build
trust in each other so we can continue to see the beauty.  And when
temptation gets the best of us, causes us to venture too far off course, and we
get stung by one of those painful thorns, remember that your brothers and
sisters in Christ are there to help you remove it.  It may be painful at
first, but once it is gone, you will be free to continue your journey!