The Skyliner

Issue date: 2/8/06 Section: Opinion

Hampton

Evan J Hampton
News Editor


Thinking back to my childhood, I was one of those ordinary boys who snuggled with a blanket as I was wearing Smurfs pajamas, all the while the moonlight would cast shadows from the trees into scary shapes and figures on my ceiling. I'd hear noises coming from the closet and was deathly afraid to see what or who would emerge. That isn't the type of fear I want to talk about.

Many of us have gotten brave enough to open the closet door in the middle of the night, but are still afraid to open doors number one, two or three and see what lies ahead for us in our futures with the turn of a rusted doorknob. We're holding onto our pasts.

I'll be the first one to tell you of all the mistakes I've made. It's something I believe people should know, especially those girls who might want to date me. There is a fine line between admitting your mistakes and still dwelling in them afraid to move on. God doesn't dwell on our past mistakes.

Faith is like a patch of ice that is sometimes hard to walk on firmly. We've all had things that try our faith. A lot of us have gone through or are going through breakups and we can't find God. Others are struggling financially and can't seem to give the situation to God. Despite the fact that engagements abound on campus, some of you are afraid to take that next step with your significant other. We all fear who we'll become when a new chapter begins in our lives. Character development doesn't just start at the beginning of the story, but it continues until the closing climax.

Life is very much like "Let's Make A Deal." Like the contestants we're all different. Our costumes aren't like theirs but we all have our own styles. The game show host would be Jesus asking us to choose a door or curtain to see behind. He knows which path we're going to take before we decide; the faith is left to us as contestants.

Door number one is our past. Door number two is our present. Door number three is what lies ahead in our tomorrow. Whatever door we choose comes disappointment or sheer excitement. The problem is, which door do we say? They all look the same from far away. Our hearts beat faster and faster and Jesus always remains patient. It's time for faith to come into play.

"Door number three," you shout with a burst of anticipation. Approaching the door with Jesus at your side, the doorknob comes into clearer view. It's pure gold! There is no rust like the other two doors. You turn the golden knob, open the door and the light shines out in your face. What lies behind the door of tomorrow is different for each contestant. There could be wedding bells, business success, a Master's degree or many other things. We just need the faith to follow on God's path, behind His door.

Don't be afraid of what might come with your significant other or the mathematics of your checking account. The doors are right in front of you. You know your past and where that leads. You know your current struggles and the test of your strength. The problem is deciding to grow and to learn from what you've been through. He never promised it'd be easy, but with faith you can do all things as scripture says. Go ahead, turn the golden knob and let His guided light shine on you. Don't worry, there will be no shadows of scary shapes or figures, but the shadows of your feet as you take a firm step, one after another.

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