We Don’t Follow Strangers

I get a little crazy when it comes to my kids’ safety. We’ve probably had a few too many conversations that could be entitled “What to Do If Mommy Loses You At the State Fair” or “Don’t Trust People Just Because They Smile At You.” Am I making them paranoid? Possibly. But that’s something they can sort out later with their therapists.

Because here’s the bottom line of it all — I don’t want to instill a fear of strangers into my kids, but I do want them to understand that you can’t always trust people you don’t know (heck, you can’t always trust the people you do know, but that’s another therapy-provoking conversation we can have when they’re older).

If someone says, “Hey, follow me,” and we don’t know them, it’s not always a great idea to comply. First, we have to ask questions. “Where are you taking me? Why are we going? Who else will be there?”

But if someone we know and love and trust says, “Hey, follow me,” we don’t even think twice, and we don’t need to ask any questions. We know wherever we’re going is a safe place for us because we have a relationship with the person doing the leading. We feel comfortable putting ourselves in their care.

That’s why it’s so important to Christ that we know him. That we have a relationship with him. That we trust him.

Because we don’t follow strangers, do we?

I don’t have all the answers to the questions I would love to ask Christ. “Why is this happening? Where are you taking me?” But the beautiful thing is, I don’t actually need those answers. I know him. He’s got my hand. Wherever we’re going is where I want to be.

©LPi