Guardrails and Grace: Why Boundaries Make Us Braver

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We were on a cliffside hike recently—you know, one of those winding trails where the views make you say “wow” but the drop-offs make your knees say “nope.” As we hiked, my son—in all his mischievous joy— ran down the path toward me and jumped into a surprise piggy back like he was a featherweight toddler and not a growing pre-teen! 

Now, I love a good piggyback moment. I really do. But the laws of physics are starting to shift against me, and we both need to start recalculating the weight ratio here. For a split second, I teetered—genuinely wondering if this was how we were going to go down. Literally.

But here’s the thing: there were guardrails.

Strong ones. A beautiful blend of thick wood and meshed metal lining the edge of the trail. Because of those rails, I didn’t have to panic. My son didn’t hesitate. And what could’ve been a dangerous moment turned into laughter and momentum, not disaster and first aid.

“Guardrails gave us the confidence to live the moment fully.”

Now imagine that same trail without guardrails. No protective rails between us and the drop. That same piggyback surprise would’ve sent both of us into slow-mo terror. (And my “mom reflexes” are strong, but I’m not Spider-Man.)

No rails = more risk. And more risk = more fear.

Here is what I have realized:

“Guardrails don’t take away freedom—they make it possible.”


We think we’re bold and capable. We say we don’t need the boundaries. But just because you feel secure doesn’t mean the cliff isn’t real. You don’t avoid consequences just because you’re confident they won’t apply to you. Gravity doesn’t negotiate. Truth doesn’t flex just because we’re feeling sure of ourselves.

In my life, I’ve come to see surrendering to Jesus as the ultimate guardrail. It’s not a restriction—it’s a protection. His Word, His ways, His Spirit… they don’t fence me in. They keep me from falling off a cliff of my own making.

No, Jesus doesn’t spare us from every consequence in life. But He saves us from many of the ones we bring on ourselves when we ignore His guardrails and run wild down unsafe paths.

So let’s reframe what real freedom looks like.

It’s not reckless independence.

It’s knowing you can run full speed, leap onto someone you love, and trust that the guardrails will hold.