Jesus Walked

Walking is simple.  It’s slow.  It is a different pace than the feverish speed of our North American culture.

I drive to work.  It takes about 10 minutes.  When I have appointments, meetings, hang out time and other pastoral awesomeness I am jumping into my vehicle to save time.  The one time I did walk, it took me half an hour and I was out of breath, sweaty and gross by the time I arrived my destination.  I was so stressed at the prospect of being late that I missed everything that I was walking by.

I was also basting music through my headphones which made me oblivious to the sounds of my walk.  It was an audio disconnect.

This past weekend at our annual church retreat I was reminded of the beautiful simplicity of walking. We heard the story of a wonderful couple who walked everywhere for 5 years.  Imagine everything that you do with your car, every task that it enables you to do, and get rid of the car and replace it with walking.  Amazing.  Counter-cultural for some, yet a requirement for others.  But with all the hype and wonder of a real deal story like this one dynamic still remains…

Walking is simple.  It’s slow.  It facilitates the opportunity to connect with the sights, sounds and relationships of a neighbourhood not fully known to the cars that speed on past.

Jesus walked.  He likely walked everywhere.  In walking he was fully present in his particular time and place.

To be present in your neighbourhood take a walk.  To slow down the pace of your crazy life, go for a walk.  I was thankful for this reminder.

Where are your favourite places to walk?  How do you slow down the pace of your life?