We need to learn to recognize danger

I recall an incident from my childhood, growing up on the ranch near Lance Creek, Wyoming. Dad usually kept a horse in the corral overnight so we could use it the next morning to gather the rest of the horses.

One particular night, he kept his best horse, Lightning, in the corral. During the night, the gate came open, and Lightning could have run free. However, a single piece of baling wire lay in the gate opening. Lightning was a smart horse and refused to pass through the open gate, fearing he might get tangled in the wire.

Lightning saw the open gate but also recognized the hidden danger in the baling wire and chose to avoid it. How often do we face situations that seem inviting but carry unseen risks? God calls us to be discerning, just as Lightning instinctively avoided harm.

“A prudent person sees evil and hides himself, But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.” (Proverbs 22:3).

When we trust God’s guidance, we can rely on His promises of protection: “The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in From this time and forever” (Psalm 121:7-8). His protection is not always about removing the danger but often about giving us the wisdom to recognize and avoid it. As Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

When we listen for His direction, we find assurance in Isaiah 30:21: “Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Like Lightning, we must recognize danger and trust God to lead us safely forward. If you listen, He will warn you and guide you away from harm.