PLAN... AND FINISH WELL
Proverbs 15:22
Plans fail for lack of council, but with many advisors they succeed.
Since I first started elk hunting and guiding, nearly 40 years ago, I've always been taught to never stand behind a tree while calling and bow hunting elk. So often in that time I've seen someone stand or kneel behind a bush or evergreen tree, only to have a bull elk come right up to the other side of the tree, well within bow range but not in a position to get shot. Instead I've always told my hunters to stand of kneel in front of something that would break up their outline and allow them to have a clear shooting area.
Over the last dozen or more years I've made a good friend in David. We've hunted together for elk several times as well as deer and turkeys. David has become a great friend. I love David, like a brother... but that being said, David has his own ways and they are hard to change. One morning several years ago was a special morning. It was David's first morning of the elk hunt that year and it was an outstanding success... But no elk were harvested.
We had a great plan and executed it perfectly... Almost. We had an elk bugling up the valley a little ways and I had David moving a little at a time ahead of me. As he moved, I moved 20 yards behind him... a little at a time. Finally David settled into a small grassy opening, or more like on the edge of it... stopping behind a big spruce tree. I was far enough behind David that I couldn't tell what his view was... I should have checked.
After a couple of calls, I could tell by the bull's response that he was quickly coming to us. All went well and the trophy bull stopped less than 20 yards right in front of David... But unfortunately, there was a very thick spruce tree, between David and a BIG bull elk. The bull stood there for several minutes and finally left, without a shot fired.
We had a great plan and executed it perfectly, but we didn't finish it well.
Our lives are just like a hunt. We plan and prepare for events and steps in our life, and we execute... But we don't always finish well.
God gives us a playbook to work from in the Bible. He also gives us an opportunity to make our own choices. There might be several right ways or choices and He allows us that option.
If we stay on a godly path we will succeed with our plan. It's when we swerve off of what God has for us or we allow a "spruce tree" to block our path or change our direction its then we stumble.
Proverbs 14:12 tells us what happens when we leave God's path and follow our own.
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Prov. 14:12
As David's guide I should have reminded him of the right path to take. If I had told him and he had listened, he would have harvested a great bull... instead he was blocked from the best thing and it made both of our lives harder.
Allow God to keep you on His path, it will make your life so much better. It will bring you closer to Him.
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