Leave No Trace
Well it is October and for a group of men from South Side Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas this always means it is time for the annual Fly-Fishing trip to the incredible San Juan river in New Mexico. Since 2004 this trip for me has become so much more anticipated because I no longer live in Abilene, nor am I able to fellowship every week with the men of this church. So, this annual event gives me the blessed opportunity to hang out with godly men for seven days as we camp out, eat incredible meals every evening (thanks guys) fellowship through deep discipleship around the campfire, and of course…FISH!
The San Juan river in NM is well known as one of the premier trout tail waters in the western half of America for its consistently cold water and enormous numbers of large trout. What a great place for guys who are desiring to learn the art fly-fishing to go and catch their first trout.
This year I am trying something new. I bought Simms carbide studs to go in the sole of my wading boots. The slippery rocks of the San Juan can be difficult to navigate, and so I am looking forward to the new advantage I will gain with the added grip of the studs. But as I was thinking about the hard carbide tipped studs added to the soft felt sole of the boot, a concern came to mind. There is a great ethic in fly-fishing in that we wade into pristine rivers, use single barbless hooks, fish and enjoy the environment and then wade out leaving the river just the way we found it except for the tired fish we released and the quickly fading foot prints. However, I have seen the scaring on rocks from the carbide studs of other fly-fisherman’s boots and it begs the question, in seeking to be comfortable and safe on the river are we failing in our ethic of “Leave No Trace?” Are the scrapes and marks left by our footsteps leaving long term imprints on the appearance of the riverbed, or worse is there some ecological implications? Well, that question is still up for debate, and probably will be for many years to come.
However, there is another greater question which comes to my mind. Is my concern for how I walk through the environment overshadowed by my concern for how I walk through this life as a Christian? Unfortunately I have in the past spent too many years seeking to perfect the false ethic of “Leave No Trace” in the lives of those I came in contact with. Whether I was too embarrassed, to shy, or just afraid of damaging the lives of friends and fellow workers I chose to remain comfortable and safe in my Christian walk; rather than willing to be bold and risk the chance of sharing Jesus Christ with them and seeing their lives changed forever or losing them as a friend.
As I screw the final carbide tipped stud into the sole of my wading boot, I can’t help but think of Paul’s words in Colossians 2:6-7, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” This great imperative given to the first Christians in Colossae is just as important for us today. It forces me to go back and evaluate the life of Christ, to look at how he behaved (walked) in the world, how he impacted those lives around him. Jesus didn’t choose comfort or safety, he was bold and purposeful. He left the indelible mark of the invisible God in this world…Jesus left the Father’s very Imprint (Hebrews 1:3) on people’s lives.
Therefore, my desire is to leave the very imprint of Christ everywhere I go. How do I do that? By being rooted and built up in Christ…established in the faith. That only happens through extreme Bible study and prayer. Then and only then can I leave the comfort of the four walls of the church, and start to leave the marks of Jesus on the hearts of people. Only when I sit at the feet of Jesus and desire to be discipled, can I truly fulfill the Great Commission and begin to make disciples.
Study to know Him,
Brother, we are chomping at the bit to head North with you and the gang. We have twenty five men on this year’s trip and at least a third of them have never been fly fishing. It is going to be an incredible time. Counting the days . . .
I’m glad to have spent the week in NM with you. Thanks for the help with the fishing, and with your passion for Christ and His truth. I must say that I find it hard to believe that you ever lived life in a safe, comfortable way. Your boldness to live for Christ is certainly a great testimony to His grace. I’m already looking forward to next year on the Juan. Hopefully I’ll have a few of my own midges to offer the bows and browns.
Ciekawy blog, dodalem go do ulubionych, bede tu napewno wpadal czesciej