My favourite book series is The Chronicles of Narnia. I always wanted to be Lucy: Brave, kind and always believing. But during a recent prayer time God reminded me of something else from the Stories, and said to me two words, ‘Be Edmund’.
Edmund was the second youngest Pevensie sibling, and in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe betrayed his family to the White Witch for a box of Turkish Delight. I do not mean “be Edmund” in this story. (Although, we are all like Edmund and need saving.)
When God said, ‘Be Edmund’, another scene came to mind.
A Scene from Prince Caspian.

* * *

Set years after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Pevensie Children return to Narnia in hopes of helping the young Prince Caspian win his throne. First they must reach him. But there are enemy soldiers and a forest between them: and they are unsure of the way. Lucy sees Aslan (the Great Lion) and she knows He is telling them the way to go. However, none of the others see Him and they do not believe her. Edmund, remembering his past failings, chooses to trust her: even though he cannot see himself.

“Well, there’s just this,” said Edmund, speaking quickly and turning a little red. “When we first discovered Narnia a year ago—or a thousand years ago, whichever it is—it was Lucy who discovered it first and none of us would believe her. I was the worst of the lot, I know. Yet she was right after all. Wouldn’t it be fair to believe her this time? I vote for going up.”

But Lucy and Edmund are out-voted and the company continues down the wrong path.

“Down,” said Peter after a long pause. “I know Lucy may be right after all, but I can’t help it. We must do one or the other.”

So they set off to their right along the edge, downstream. And Lucy came last of the party, crying bitterly.

… and they almost walk into an ambush .

That night, Aslan comes to them again. And once again only Lucy can see Him .

“Now, child,” said Aslan, when they had left the trees behind them, “I will wait here. Go and wake the others and tell them to follow. If they will not, then you at least must follow me alone.”

It is a terrible thing to have to wake four people, all older than yourself and all very tired, for the purpose of telling them something they probably won’t believe and making them do something they certainly won’t like. “I mustn’t think about it, I must just do it,” thought Lucy.

She went to Peter first and shook him. “Peter,” she whispered in his ear, “wake up. Quick. Aslan is here. He says we’ve got to follow him at once.”

“Certainly, Lu. Whatever you like,” said Peter unexpectedly. This was encouraging, but as Peter instantly rolled round and went to sleep again it wasn’t much use.

Then she tried Susan. Susan did really wake up, but only to say in her most annoying grown-up voice, “You’ve been dreaming, Lucy. Go to sleep again.”

She tackled Edmund next. It was very difficult to wake him, but when at last she had done it he was really awake and sat up.

“Eh?” he said in a grumpy voice. “What are you talking about?”

She said it all over again. This was one of the worst parts of her job, for each time she said it, it sounded less convincing.

“Aslan!” said Edmund, jumping up. “Hurray! Where?”

Lucy turned back to where she could see the Lion waiting, his patient eyes fixed upon her. “There,” she said, pointing.

“Where?” asked Edmund again.

“There. There. Don’t you see? Just this side of the trees.”

Edmund stared hard for a while and then said, “No. There’s nothing there. You’ve got dazzled and muddled with the moonlight. One does, you know. I thought I saw something for a moment myself. It’s only an optical what-do-you-call-it.”

“I can see him all the time,” said Lucy. “He’s looking straight at us.”

“Then why can’t I see him?”

“He said you mightn’t be able to.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. That’s what he said.”

“Oh, bother it all,” said Edmund. “I do wish you wouldn’t keep on seeing things. But I suppose we’ll have to wake the others.”

Though none of the others can see The Lion, Lucy (with Edmund’s help) manages to convince them to follow her.

Lit only by moonlight, Lucy follows Aslan down the rocky path.
Edmund cannot see Aslan: so he follows Lucy.
Then soon, he sees Alan’s shadow: so he follows the Shadow .
And when he cannot see the Shadow in the darkness: he follows his little sister.
As they follow further and further on, Edmund’s belief grows stronger. And soon he sees what Lucy saw from the beginning. Eventually the others do too, and they all come safely into camp.

* * *

When God told me “be Edmund” l was looking for a different message. I wanted Him to show me the way so I could lead others to where we needed to go.

I wanted to be Lucy.

Our pastors, our youth leaders need more Edmunds. Being Lucy is hard and we all need someone to believe in us. This is not blind faith. No. Lucy had been right before. And the others knew her well. (She was their little sister, after all.) Our leaders need to know that someone trusts them. So be someone who follows: even when you can’t see where they are going. Even if you don’t agree on where they are going.
Don’t break your morals, but maybe, just maybe, they are following Something you can’t see. So follow them. And when you catch a glimpse of His Shadow (and you’ll see it soon enough) … follow the Shadow.

Until you do …Be Edmund.

Quotes taken from C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Chapters IX and X (c)1951