A Trek through the Woods

Written November 1, 2011 by Jen Gustafson

Imagine for a moment that you and a close friend have set out on a hiking trip in a remote area. It’s a sunny, cool afternoon, perfect for a trek through the woods. As you walk you meander through a variety of conversation topics, enjoying one another’s company.

Engrossed in conversation, your friend is somewhat distracted and manages to miss a step and falls over into the brush. You rush over and help him up and brush him off. He’s fine with the exception of some scratches from a thorny bush. You take a first aid kit out of your pack and clean the scratches and put a little antibiotic ointment and bandages on the deeper ones. You both have a good chuckle at his clumsiness and get back on your way.

A little further up the path, you spot a tree with thin, supple branches.  In the past your friend has mentioned an interest in archery and constructing his own bow (he’s a bit of a naturalist).  Thinking the tree may be of interest to him for this purpose, you call him back to take a look. He responds enthusiastically. He takes out a knife and cuts a few branches to carry home, all the while thanking you for looking out for his interests.

As the day is wearing on, you both decide to start heading back to the car to head home. The light is fading and you carefully make your way through the woods, this time with you leading. All of a sudden, your friend cries out behind you. He drops to the ground, holding his leg and is calling for you in an extremely agitated manner. You run back to him and drop down beside him. He explains that he has just been bitten by a small rattlesnake. Alarmed, you take a bandana from around your neck and tie it above the bite to try to prevent the venom from spreading too quickly. The size of snake he describes concerns you as young snakes have less control of the amount of venom they release and are more likely to deliver a lethal dose. You help your friend up and have him put his arm around your neck so you can help him hobble back toward the car so you can get him help.

Soon your friend begins exhibiting signs of the poison making its way through his system. He is requiring more and more of your assistance to go on and he does not look good. You remember now that you have a dose of anti-venom in your first aid kit, but you’re uncertain how to suggest it. Your friend is extremely modest and the shot would have to be delivered in the buttock. You could help him, but it would be such an awkward situation and you’re not very comfortable administering shots anyway. Perhaps he isn’t so bad off. You’re almost to the car and once there you can get him to the emergency room fairly quickly. You decide it would be best to leave it to the professionals rather than screw it up or make your friendship awkward thereafter.

Finally reaching the car, you get your friend who is now clammy and moaning in pain into the car and take off. By the time you reach the emergency room, he is barely conscious. You run in and have the staff help you get him out of the car. Their commentary doesn’t sound good, so you reach into your pack and quickly shove the anti-venom into one of the nurse’s hands. She gives you a strange look and prepares the syringe. As she has a paramedic roll him over onto his side so she can deliver the shot, she calmly reassures your friend that you have just given her a dose of anti-venom that she is going to administer and he should be ok. The shot is administered. Several minutes go by and your friend’s condition does not improve. The nurse turns to you and asks how long ago he was bitten. You tell her. She sighs as she tells you it may be too late and that you should speak to your friend while you can. With tears in your eyes, you slump down beside your beloved friend. You’ve shared so much with him, and now he was slipping away before your very eyes. Your friend looks at you pitifully, clearly in great agony. Nearly choking on his words, he quietly asks, “Why didn’t you tell me you had the antidote?”  Then he is gone.

This story sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? If our friend were bitten by a snake and we had the remedy at hand, we would immediately administer it, wouldn’t we? Why take any chances? Sure, it might be awkward to stab our friend in the butt cheek and we may get nauseous at the sight of a needle, but wouldn’t we do whatever it takes to save our beloved friend? Of course we would! Or would we?

The Antidote

We are all on our own trek through the woods. We are in the company of friends, family, neighbors. Our trek is an all out marathon with countless participants. On this trek, however, we have all been bitten by the snake. Good news, though: There is an unlimited supply of anti-venom, no co-pay required. Some of us have already received the antidote. Unfortunately, some are putting hope in alternative medicines hoping to avoid some of the seemingly unpleasant side effects of the anti-venom. Some are fading fast, not even aware that a remedy exists. For those of us who have been treated, what are we doing? Are we rushing to the aid of those in need? Are we rescuing the dying? Or are we looking on, afraid to act?

Sin is the venom. Jesus is the anti-venom. Unlike modern healthcare, this remedy is free.

Think about your “trek”, imagining just one close friend who remains untreated. You were there, you know the suffering, but you also know the relief of the antidote, the freedom from dying.

You’re willing to lend an ear, share the weight of your friends’ temporal problems: Cleaning the wounds and applying the ointment. You’re a good friend, after all.

You are ready and willing to recommend a restaurant, an activity, or even a doctor or specialist to a friend when you think it will meet a need or spark an interest for them: You call them over to look at the supple branches they can use to construct a bow.

But what if they were dying?

Newsflash: They are.

Why is it that we will go out of our way to address our friends’ temporal needs, but we largely ignore the eternal one? Are we afraid that “pushing religion” on them will damage our friendship? Do we buy into the world’s argument for “tolerance”?  

I agree, there are those who “push religion” on people in a condescending, self-righteous manner. Often it’s a message of legalism more than a message of grace. But is that what we’re selling? You and I aren’t perfect. We are made holy through Jesus, not our own achievements (Ephesians 2:8-9). We have no grounds to boast, to judge, to look down on those “lowly sinners.” In fact, even after placing our faith in Christ, we still manage to screw up pretty often. Humbly sharing your faith with someone you love because you want them to have what you have experienced is not the same as pushing religion on someone in an effort to bring yourself glory.

And tolerance? According to the Bible, Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6). How weak would our faith be if we did not believe God’s word to be true? What kind of “belief” is that? And if we do believe it, and yet we still somehow manage to buy into “tolerance” or are dissuaded from sharing our faith because of its prevalence in our society, what does that say about us? Is our reputation too important to us to risk losing, even if the cost is that our loved ones go to hell? The only tolerance we should be subscribing to is a tolerance of or patience with sinners – who are really no different from us. Is it fair to expect someone to turn from sin before they have had an opportunity to come to know the One who has overcome it? We should be offering the solution, not condemnation.