In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.

(Heb. 2:10, NIV)

Elizabeth was a nervous teenager, gripping the steering wheel tightly during her very first driving lesson. As she cautiously pulled out of the parking lot, the instructor calmly said, “Turn left here — and don’t forget to let the people behind you know what you’re doing.”

Elizabeth, wanting to follow the instructions to the letter, turned her head toward the students sitting in the backseat and loudly announced, “I’m going left!”

She may have misunderstood, but the instructor’s advice carried an important principle: Let the people behind you know what you’re doing.  It’s a concept that applies well beyond driving.

In Hebrews 2:10, Jesus is called “the pioneer of our salvation.” The Greek word used — archegos — can refer to someone who opens up a path for others to follow: a trailblazer, a guide, a forerunner.

When I lived in Boone, North Carolina, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, I often thought about what it must have been like for early settlers in the 1700s. No highways, not even wagon trails — just thick forests and steep ridges. Though some had crossed the mountains, there was no safe or well-marked route. What the settlers needed was a pioneer — someone to find the best pass and clear a way.

That’s what Jesus has done for us. He didn’t just teach us about the way to God — he became the way.  Like a trailblazer crossing rugged terrain, Christ broke through sin, suffering, and even death, so that we could follow him into life.  He walked the hard road ahead of us and invites us to follow in his steps.

But here’s the thing: You are also called to be a pioneer in your own way. Others are watching the path you take. Your choices help clear the way for those coming behind you.

So choose your path wisely. And don’t forget to “let the people behind you know what you’re doing.” Live in such a way that others can follow in your steps as you follow Christ.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for going before us and making a way where there was none. Help us to walk faithfully in your footsteps and to live in a way that guides others to you.  Amen.

Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day