Have you seen a child enter the house taking off his winter clothing piece by piece as he races through the rooms and leaves his trail? Or perhaps he leaves a trail of muddy boot prints. Psalm 23:6 tells us about another kind of trail we can leave behind us:

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:” (KJV)

For years I thought this verse was saying that goodness and mercy would accompany me, something I would be receiving and enjoying, but recently I realized that the word is “follow, something that comes after” and so God intends that I leave a trail of goodness and mercy for others to enjoy. Because the Lord is my Shepherd I shall not lack anything and my cup will be running over with His blessing enabling me to be a blessing and leave a trail of goodness and mercy. As I leave people they should feel they have been treated with goodness and kindness. Paul speaks of this also as being a trail of the savor of Christ.

“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved
and among those who are perishing.” (NKJV)

As we gaze into the face of our Savior in the Scriptures we are transformed into the same image by the Holy Spirit. We become like our Savior who lived on this earth and left his trail. Paul tells us in Acts 10:38:

“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power:
who went about doing good....” (KJV)

Jesus went about doing good—He left a trail of good—and the source of power was the Holy Spirit working in Him. That is what makes the good days. The bad days that come are the “what about me” days when my life is centered about me. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The answer to bad days is found in Psalm 42:5:
"Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him'
For the help of His countenance.” (NKJV)

The help of His countenance becomes the help of my countenance in Psalm 42:11

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God. (NKJV)

As we gaze into His face we are transformed into His image and leave a trail of good. Verse eight then adds:

“The Lord will command His loving-kindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me--
A prayer to the God of my life.” (NKJV)

God’s commands carry with them His power to fulfill that command. To the crippled man Jesus said, “take up your bed and walk” and he was immediately able to obey. When God commands His loving-kindness he gives the power to obey that command. As I hope in God I can leave a trail of loving-kindness all day long. Then my nights will be filled with songs of his praises and prayers of thanksgiving.

So when a driver swerved over in front of me to make an unexpected left turn, I was able to quickly hit the brake and avoided hitting her, feeling no anger and not laying on the horn—what freedom and joy!. Later as I pushed my shopping cart down the aisle of the supermarket I looked for opportunities to show kindness rather than how fast I could get my groceries and get out of there. At checkout the person ahead of me gave the clerk and very difficult time so when my turn came I could see she was frustrated and exhausted. When she finished checking me out I commented how much I appreciated the efficient and pleasant way she checked my purchases in spite of the pressure she was under at the moment. Her weary, discouraged countenance slowly transformed into a grateful smile and she responded with a simple, “Thank you.” The trail of goodness and mercy is so much fun!

God is the health (salvation) of my countenance. My attitude is revealed in my countenance. The Lord enables me to leave a trail of goodness and mercy day by day, the fragrance of the presence of Christ in a hopeless world.

One of the many benefits that David praises God for in Psalm 103:1-5 is the special recognition God gives to those who demonstrate his goodness and mercy.

“Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies.” (NKJV)

This crown is not the royal one of a king, but is the victor’s wreath of accomplishment in the area of our expertise. We could compare it to the gold medal a runner receives for a race well run. The Lord delights in giving recognition to David’s trail of loving-kindness and tender mercies by placing upon him the appropriate victor’s wreath, even though the strength for this victory came from God Himself.

Is my life characterized by selfishness and anger? Do I leave behind me a trail of the hurt and bleeding, the disappointed and discouraged? Or am I determined to allow the Spirit of God use the Word of God to make me like the Son of God and leave a trail behind me of the helped and encouraged, the comforted and gladdened?

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