In an earlier article (see here)  we talked about Strays.  Not the animals, the black-sheep kind of child.  Especially when they are the child of a religious leader.

We cited Biblical Samson and the ignominy Mr and Mrs Manoah must have faced as prodigal parents.

However, here we want to stick to the child who walks away.

“why would a protected child leave the confines of seeming safety and go out to imminent danger?”  you ponder

“stop right there!” I screech

“are you not being a bit sentimental about this topic?”

“I am because I was”

“how do you mean?” 

“forget it.  Stay on course”

“your statement simply made a sweeping supposition- protection, imminent danger”

“yes, isn’t that so clear to anyone?”

“Not to that child!”  I bristle

“It is a very logical thing to see.  You are being protected from danger out there yet you want to …..”

“stop!  let me educate you on the dangers of your thinking because it is people like you who inflict further injuries on an already wounded person”

“the thing with your flawed thinking is you are presuming logic by tagging it a rational decision.  It is not.  It is an emotional one – a feelings thing”

“how do feelings weigh against all your childhood learnings?”

“the same way feelings weigh over other life’s decisions from marriage to divorce and murder”

“divorce and murder?  how did we get there now?”

“because we were talking feelings-based decisions”

“As that prim and proper church child who strayed in adulthood, I know all too well the pull of that allure.   We see their freedom as ‘cool and liberating’.  We have those questions eating at us which we are dissuaded from voicing and so we begin to doubt our beliefs. When we think no one is watching we steal furtive glances at that freedom. Unfortunately for us, it also notices our conflicting quest as we stand by the fringes window-shopping its Invitation to Treat.  Then like a shrewd merchant along the ancient Silk Road, It swoops down and slyly offers you a cup of cold water for your travel-parched throat and a shade inside their stall so you could catch your breath before moving on. while you drink his water and catch your breath, he ensures your breath is caught by innocently rearranging his merchandise in front of you as he whistles his tune”. 

“Gratefully though for us, the Bible is neither silent nor pretentious about us Strays; he Patriarch Yakov also had two of his own caught by that glitz who strayed off into trouble – Diana to Shechem and Judah to Adullam. We did see the spiral effects, didn’t we?  Let’s not even delve into Moses; parenting the rebellious and often cantankerous Israelites who despite all their privileges [chosen, emancipated, set apart, provided for, insulated]  could not keep their eyes off their neighbours’ hedonistic lifestyles”. 

“So Samson?”. 

“Yes. And we saw the result.  A life and destiny cut short. Although for some of us prodigals, the life we cost might not be ours but a parent’s, a child’s, a partner’s or someone else”

Samson should have been the classic deterrent through generations for all Strays.  Too bad that humans are hard-wired to repeat history. We would rather walk in and make our mistakes than learn from those who have gone ahead of us.  What is the fun then if we only hear their stories but miss out on the accompanying adventure?

Moreso, good a thing that God is still in the Fishing business and has not run out of lifelines.  It is only as he reels us in; dishonoured and slimy with shame that we then begin to grasp the full extent of the devastation our seemingly innocent little adventure has left in its wake. 

Therefore, when next you are tempted to either sashay off or tiptoe down that enticing highway, pause and count your steps.

Selah!