Walk of Faith or Survival of the Selfish?

I finished reading Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (are novels italicised or underlined?) a couple days ago. In it, a father and son slowly make their way across the ashen remains of the United States of America, heading toward the sea, “carrying the fire,” as the father tells his son. They are the “good guys,” and everyone else is held up to suspicion as a “bad guy,” and most are—horrific suggestions of cannibalism and accounts of mankind at its worst abound in the book. A clear sense of hope drives the two forward, each sustained by the other, fellowship, friendship, father and son ship (ships seem like the place to be for community these days). They pick their way across the land—lightless and lifeless—with the simple hope that something better lies ahead. Their journey is an inspired illustration of hope and love in uncertain times, when the world around them has collapsed into a selfish bid for survival, human dignity be damned.

Yet, ever so often they come across other “good guys:” A shuffling victim of a lightning strike, his flesh burnt; a blind old man; a desperate thief. Maybe they’re “lost guys?” There is reluctance on the part of the father to help these people. They ignore the man struck by lightning, and strip the thief not only of what he stole from them, but the clothes off his back. Even the old man, whom they feed and spend the night with at the behest of the boy, is left to fend for himself, too slow to keep up with them. Why should they help them? In such desperate times, it’s every man for himself, right? Their provisions are nearly non-existent, why waste them on another sole, especially one who is sure to die?

I wonder how often we as Christians act like this. We push on through this life of troubles with the hope and faith that beyond God has prepared something much greater for us. We carry the fire of God’s torch, proclaiming to be the “good guys.” Yet, when we come across the lost ones, we ignore them. Why should we let them hinder our Journey? It’s easier just to pass them by—maybe drop them a Bible or a few encouraging, or worse, reproachful, Scripture passages.

I wonder how often on my Journey to draw closer to God, do I come across those who are lost on their way (as if I too am not always lost), and ignore them, even strip them down in my mind, because I won’t let anyone or anything stop me from achieving full righteousness in the eyes of God; anyone or anything but myself of course, I’m happy to cease that Journey if I think I can survive off a nice distraction for a while (The father and son spend days stopped at an underground bunker, feeding on the abundant, preserved food they find there).

In the end, how am I any better than the “bad guys?” They commit terrible acts in a selfish bid for survival, but so do I. I selfishly ignore those I might give aid to, just so I can make it to where I believe God wants me to be, afraid I might not survive the Journey otherwise. As a self ascribed “good guy,” my Destination and Journey may be right, but my conduct is just as reproachful. But then who am I to suppose God wants me to be somewhere else on this Journey? Should I be closer to, or even at the end? Is there an end? Maybe I’m right where God wants me to be. If my faith is true, God will ensure the safe end to my Journey. Maybe He wants me to stop and water the roses.