I once read of an elderly woman who stood on a busy street corner. She hesitated to cross because there was no traffic light. While waiting, a gentleman came up beside her and asked, “May I cross over with you?” Relieved, the elderly woman thanked him and took him by the arm.
The path they took was very erratic. The man seemed to be very confused as they dodged traffic and walked in a zig-zag pattern across the street. “You almost got us killed,” the woman screamed in anger as they eventually reached the curb. “You walk like you are blind!” “I am,” he replied. “That’s why I asked if I could cross with you.”
Speaking of the Pharisees, Jesus said, “They are blind guides and if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 14:14). Christians must be very careful not to entrust their spiritual direction to someone who cannot discern the clear teachings of God’s Word. Life is too difficult, eternity too long, and our spiritual formation too important to take any chance with the leaders we choose to follow.
In Psalm 119:105 we read, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” May we trust only those who themselves walk in the light of that lamp.
Richard