Issue 1776 – Rabbit Trails – July 25, 2025
A blast from the past this morning. This one from February 2006.
Yesterday, Genni the wonder dog and I took a mid-afternoon stroll through the bush. We stayed on the trails rather than cutting cross-country.
Genni was on full alert because the trails were full of fresh rabbit sign. Last week, in the same area we had seen a rabbit on the trail we were traveling, and the area is home to many of them.
That is technically not true. There were no rabbits in the area. To be more precise, my “rabbits” are the North American Varying Hare, Lepus americanus, also known as the snowshoe rabbit. However, I have called them rabbits my entire life, so I will stick with it.
Genni is a border collie basset hound cross (picture a border collie on basset-length legs, and you will have her), and her basset brain was hard at work. She was working the scent trail hard. Several times, she veered to go off one of the many side trails.
The side trails may be great for rabbits, but going through the thick brambles and underbrush down a two-foot-tall trail is not my idea of a good time. Not only that, but in our area, all dogs must be on a leash, so it would not have taken long before Genni was so tangled up she never would have gotten free.
Had I been hunting rabbits for something to eat, I probably would have worked my way down the trails with her. Since we were only out walking, I pulled her back, and we continued.
Each time I pulled her back, she gave a snort of displeasure and her “Boss, you’re messing with my work” look and carried on down the main trail.
We did not see any rabbits, although I suspect that they were not very far away down some of the trails. A couple of times I caught a glimpse of movement in the thick brush.
Oftentimes, we get sidetracked on our walk with the Lord and pulled down any number of rabbit trails. It can even start with good things, but before long, we find ourselves tangled in the brush, covered in scratches, and wondering which way to turn next. We may even have completely lost sight of both our original goal and the path back.
One area where we can get lost is arguing about unimportant aspects of doctrine and practice. Now, before you get your hackles up, let me assure you that I am all for sound doctrine and wish that the “average Christian in the pew” knew what they believed and why they believe it better than they do. There is an appalling level of Biblical illiteracy and doctrinal weakness within the church as a whole.
There are many divisions within the church over unimportant and trivial matters. While admonishing Timothy to stick to sound doctrine, he also warned him against foolish arguments.
Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:23-26 NIV
The Lord, in all likelihood, does not care what color the sanctuary carpet and walls are. Yet many churches have been decimated by arguments over such things.
Should the pastor wear a suit, a robe, or blue jeans? Again, I suspect the Lord probably does not care if the truth is being proclaimed and people are being drawn to Him. Yet, I know pastors who have been admonished because their shoes were not shiny enough.
The exact timing and nature of the Second Coming is another. Will we be raptured? If so, when? Great material to discuss and an area where strong opinions are held on all sides.
Ultimately, we will not know until He comes back or we join Him in the air. So why do we not accept it as an area where good and godly people can disagree?
Bible translations are yet another. Oh, I can already feel the hate mail being typed. Some translations are superior to others, and a translation beats a paraphrase hands down (for accuracy, although not always for ease of reading) … yet even a poor paraphrase that is being read beats no Scripture or an excellent translation that sits on the shelf gathering dust.
Yet churches divide over such things. Lighten up, people! Jesus never spoke a word of English in His entire life on earth. All of the translations are people’s best efforts to be faithful to the truth.
Let us stick to the business of winning people to Jesus, ministering to them, equipping them to minister, and sending them out. Let us not fall into the rabbit trail of foolish arguments and, in avoiding those trails, avoid the snares of the devil.
Until next time, in the words of someone else, “Remember to keep the main thing the main thing.”
Hallelu Yah
Be blessed,
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word – Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”