Bear Witness

Cades Cove - Methodist Church

In my opinion, there is one place this side of the Mississippi River that should be on everyone’s bucket list to visit before they die. That place would be Cades Cove up on the Tennessee side of the Smoky Mountains. If you have never been there, I recommend that you go. There is just something cathartic about the place. It soothes the soul.

It’s strikingly beautiful with deer, turkey and bear abounding and in spite of the multitude of cars and trucks that make the loop every day, it is strangely peaceful. However, if true inner peace is what you seek, then you must go beyond the ordinary and hike the surrounding mountains up above the Cove. That is when the place is downright magical. When you get lost in the quiet, a peace descends upon you like nothing you have ever experienced.

My family went there many times when I was a child, and my memories of the Cove are crowded with laughter and joy; and in my desire to share, I have taken my family up there more times than I can remember.

I have lots of stories from the place, some of which I have already told you, but one of my favorites happened when I was a boy, nine years of age or so. Mom, Dad, Mike, Janie and I were finishing up the loop. It was twilight and we had made it into the pine forest near the end of the trail. It had been raining off and on all day, so there was a mist in the air that gave the forest a haunting, haunted, look.

When all of a sudden brake lights flashed up in front of us and all the cars stopped dead in their tracks, and then the folks started piling out of their vehicles and wildly running toward something up ahead of us.

It would appear that a bear had been spotted and all the folks who didn’t know any better and a few that did had decided to take a closer look. Well, the bear took offense at having his evening constitutional disturbed; so he decided to find a quieter path somewhere else, and the race was on.

Now being a nine year old boy, I wanted to join that frantic mob and see what was going on; but Momma being older and wiser stopped me and said, “Just wait.”

A minute or two later she started laughing, that breathless laugh of hers, and pointed up in front of us. Coming at us at breakneck speed was that same brave and daring mob that had faced their fears and the elements to chase their quarry just a few minutes before. Only now they were in a frenzy, tripping over one another and themselves, screaming in terror and looking for all the world like they were about to throw up in unison.

It appears that the bear had just been funning with those folks. Either that or it had gotten fed up with the game and turned on the crowd. One way or the other, like a school of herring, the crowd panicked as one, forgot all dignity and generally made fools of themselves right there in front of God and everybody.

In the midst of it all, over and above the commotion, and mom’s derisive laughter, I swear to this day that somewhere off in the forest I heard a deep satisfied chuckle echoing amongst the trees.

Right before the traffic started to move again, Mom tapped my Dad on the shoulder and pointed to an older man, wearing a worn-out backpack, with a nice camera hanging off of his left shoulder and a walking stick in his hand. The old man was meandering out of the same woods from which the crowd had so unceremoniously departed. He wasn’t running like all the rest. He was at peace and his pace bore witness to that peace.
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With admiration in her voice, Mom said, “He’s probably the only one in the crowd who truly appreciated what he saw.”

I think that was probably where my love of the outdoors, of hiking and of photography started. The reverence in her voice and the dignity she afforded that old man struck a deep chord in me. I don’t know why he impressed her so, nor do I know why I was so impressed by her words, but it was so.

I have been pondering that story for the last little while. The Lord brought it back to my mind for a reason, and while I am no soothsayer, I may have an inkling as to why.

We, as the children of God, have been called upon by our Lord to be examples to the lost sheep that surround us. We are called to lead them from fear and chaos into the light and peace of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the past few years, I question what kind of job we have done.

No offense intended, of course, but I fear that many of us have not been the best of examples. I have watched as some Christian leaders reacted in fear and panic instead of faith to the dangers surrounding them, and in turn, those being led by them are fearful and plagued by a faltering faith.

We, as Christians, are called upon to rise above the crowd in faith so that others might see that faith and be heartened by it.

Fear is contagious and destructive and many will follow their fear into hiding; but when one faithful follower defeats fear through faith, others will follow as well. Be that person. Be the Christian that leads others from fear and chaos to the peace of Christ.

Be the light in their darkness.
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Love,
Pastor Tony.
 

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Cades Cove - Momma's Favorite Field

Photos - Copywrite - A.S. Rowell