35) As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”

36) So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).

37) But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

38) Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39) When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

40) Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41) The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Mark 4:35-41)

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road? A: To get to the other side.

As a child, my circle of friends would repeat this joke, over and over, laughing at the punch line without really thinking about its meaning. Someone might even say, “duh, it had to cross the road to get where it was going.” The others would shrug, “of course.” But we never questioned,

out loud, “what was on the other side”—what was so important that the chicken crossed a concrete road carrying cars that could kill it. Maybe, it was because we assumed, as city kids, that the chicken was on a farm and merely crossing a narrow dirt road that could signal oncoming trucks (from a mile away) with the dust cloud that fast wheels left behind.

It was obviously a smart chicken, and safe. But why would the chicken leave the coop, its fellow chicken friends, or the source of chicken feed, just to get to a field across the road. Maybe it was heading to visit the coop across the way. Or, if there were an open field, maybe to run or hide in

the tall corn or soybean crop, to get more food. Maybe to see if the grass, or the feed, was “greener on the other side”. Anyway, why would the joke’s punch line: to get to the other side, be funny considering that so many animals end up as road kill trying to cross streets?My whole life, I’ve witnessed animals crossing roads: bolting squirrels, sluggish turtles (that I’ve even carried across, out of danger, with my own hands) and fowl families trying to lead their young safely across streets —while cars honked—the parent trusting that the wheeled machines won’t run them all over. What was so important on the other side of the road that a mother or

father would risk the lives of its children to lead them across such a dangerous place?

Just the other day, I was driving east on highway 62, just turning on from 494 south, so the traffic was fairly tame. Up ahead it looked like specks on the highway were moving. Traffic was slowing. I was in the right lane and as I approached the moving dots, I could see they were really a large pack of geese. I slowed and watched, like the other gawking (and some annoyed) drivers. The leader would take a few slow steps forward and then turn around to look at its followers (who appeared somewhat stunned and frightened) then proceeded on its trek. The others followed suit. I moved to the left lane, thinking I could pass by the group before they completely crossed over (other drivers had the same idea). The cars moved terribly slow and as cautiously as the geese; humans and fowl wondering what the others’ next move might be. I probably could have stayed all afternoon, playing this game with the geese, but I had an appointment to get to so I continued on my path. That night, I wondered if the geese family made it safely to their destination, or if they gave up, turned back, and tried another day.

We pray for God to lead us: lead us not into temptation, to guide us. We ask God to help us discern how to follow the right path in life, how to make decisions at difficult crossroads, or even cross a road (or a vast lake) to get to the other side. We want God to be with us, we want God to help us in these choices. To protect us. We might feel a calling to go somewhere new, whether physically moving, or metaphorically within our own understanding. We might get the desire to change jobs, or enter out of or into relationships, or simply feel the call to help the neighbor down the street. All the while we pray, and hope, that God is with us. Imagine being asked by Jesus to cross a lake in a boat just to get to the other side. It is a sunny day, the water is clear and calm and so you think it a great idea, a lovely adventure, or maybe a chance to relax with a friend. Even if you don’t know why you are crossing, or what is on the other side, you enter the boat, take your seat and trust the lead of your companion. But soon a

storm swells and the winds pick up, the boat gets tossed around and you are seasick within seconds. You are drenched, the water is pooling in the boat, and it looks inevitable that you might sink. Yet, Jesus is quietly sleeping in the corner, from all appearances oblivious to the impending danger. So you go over and shake His shoulder, wake Him, sure that He would want to be aware of the dire situation. Jesus opens His eyes and tells the wind to stop and the waves to settle. You

are relieved, He saved the day.

But then, Jesus turns to you and asks you why you are afraid, why

you still had little faith. That question hits the bottom of your gut, worse than the previous sea sickness, because you realize that your trust of your beloved teacher indeed ran shallow. It wasn’t your lack of bravery in a scary situation that was in question, it was your trust in God to see you

through…so you could get safely to the other side.Now, go back to the geese following their parent-leader across a highway. Imagine being one of

those geese trudging behind the group, marching across traffic, questioning if you will be run over or be safe. You see your leader turn around and look at you, acknowledge that they know you are there, that they are making the right choices toward your safety or doom. Then they turn back and start leading you toward the cars to get to the other side. Do you still follow?

Now, picture Jesus leading you across that busy highway, turning back and with a glance asking you to trust, to have faith. Do you still follow? More importantly, in your journey of life, how far, and in what situations, are you willing to follow Jesus, trust Jesus, have faith that you will safely cross the road, or the lake—without knowing why you are being asked to do so—despite all the dangers or storms? Ask yourself, is it easier to stay where you are comfortable, maybe not even cross the road or the lake, than it is to follow Jesus on a different path or stay in the rocky boat with Him? So the next time you hear the joke: why did the chicken cross the road—instead, think on a more important question: why did the disciples (or you) get in that boat. The initial answer is the same, to get to the other side, but for us as disciples of Christ it runs way deeper…it is because of faith.

Amen.