Off the Path

Gia traced her finger along a pack of gum in her pocket as she and her twin sister Teagan walked down a winding forest trail near their family's cabin. Mom had said they could take a hike if they stayed together and didn't go far. I wish Mom and Dad had let us buy gum when we stopped at the gas station, thought Gia. But their parents hadn't let them buy gum, so the girls snuck some from the shelf into their pockets. It seemed exciting when they did it, but now the gum was bothering Gia's conscience.She sighed and turned her attention to the trail. "Dad says there's a lake just over this little hill. I'll race you there." "Okay," said Teagan. "You're on!" The girls took off running.Gia was so eager to beat Teagan that she flew down the path, never looking down. She cut corners on the curves and often strayed off the trail. Suddenly, her foot hit a rock, and she went sprawling into the leaves and weeds. She felt bruised and shaken as she sat up and looked around. Her knee hurt and was bleeding.When Teagan caught up, she rushed to Gia's side. "Are you okay?" Teagan asked. "What happened?""I guess I got off the path," replied Gia. "My foot hit a rock, and I fell." Teagan looked thoughtful. "Does that remind you of anything? Like last week's Sunday school lesson?""Yeah. It was about getting off the path too," said Gia. "Only our lesson wasn't about straying off a path in the woods. It was about getting off the right path--God's path--by doing things that are wrong and…well, we did that, didn't we?"Teagan nodded. "Has that gum been bothering you too?" "I haven't been able to chew it," Gia said. "It bothers me more than this banged-up knee." She sighed. "Our Sunday school lesson was also about how Jesus forgives us when we sin and helps us get back on the right path. We need to confess what we did to Him.""And to Mom and Dad," said Teagan. "Let's ask them to take us back so we can return the gum. I'd rather get in trouble than feel like this.""Yeah," said Gia. "It's time to get back on the right path."-Karen E. Cogan