Prince Caspian

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!

My favorite part of Prince Caspian is Lucy's encounter with Aslan when no one else is able to see him. The four Pevensie children, along with Trumpkin the Dwarf, are journeying through the woods to get to where Prince Caspian and the Old Narnians are besieged by the army of Caspian's uncle Miraz. They come to a river and decide to go downstream when Lucy catches site of Aslan in the opposite direction and knows that he wants them to go that way. No one else sees Aslan, and Lucy can't explain how she knows what he wants them to do. They take a vote on which way to go, and the vote goes against Lucy. However, when they get to the place where that river joins the Great River, they found enemy sentries there and have to turn back and retrace their steps.

They camp that night in the woods. Lucy wakes in the middle of the night and sees Aslan again. He speaks to her and says that there is work for her to do and much time has been lost that day. Lucy tries to blame the others for not believing her, but Aslan won't let her get away with that. "I couldn't have left the others and come up to you alone, how could I?" she says. "Don't look at me like that... oh well, I suppose I could. Yes, and it wouldn't have been alone, I know, not if I was with you." Lucy then asks Aslan what would have happened if she had followed him.

"To know what would have happened, child?" said Aslan. "No. Nobody is ever told that... But anyone can find out what will happen. If you go back to the others now, and wake them up; and tell them you have seen me again; and that you must all get up at once and follow me--what will happen? There is only one way of finding out."

Lucy goes through the difficult task of waking the others and telling them they must leave at once to follow Aslan, but they are still unable to see him so they resist her. She tells them she is going whether anyone else goes with her or not and proceeds to follow Aslan. With lots of grumbling, the rest of them follow her. As they proceed, one by one the rest of the party begin to see Aslan also as he leads them to their destination. They arrive by a path they would have never found by themselves, and they get there just in time to provide critical help.

Although few of us will have a vision from God like Lucy had, anyone who tries to follow Christ will find themselves in a similar situation where obedience to Christ means doing something no one else understands. Being the only one to follow a certain course can provoke negative reactions, including accusations of being difficult and self-righteous. It is very tempting to give up at that point, and we often do. If we do give up, we never know what we missed, but if we follow, we get to see what God will do. If Peter had never stepped out of the boat, he would have never known he could walk on water.

As you seek God, do not judge what you learn by the standards of the world. It may be that God is asking you to take a path that others will not understand.