If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good

Come close, children, and hear the words of wisdom that echo through the ages, for in them lies the essence of true courage and unshakable purpose. The great David Livingstone, whose name is forever tied to the wild lands of Africa and the heart of exploration, once said, "If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all." These words, though simple, are steeped in the spirit of the adventurer, the leader, and the soul who dares to walk where others fear to tread.

In these words, Livingstone calls us to recognize the difference between those who seek comfort and those who seek purpose. The road—smooth, clear, and easy—is the metaphor for those paths in life that require little of us, that demand only the bare minimum, and offer safety in return. But the true challenge, the call to greatness, is not in following the road where others have walked, but in creating a new path where none exists. It is in facing the unknown, the untrodden path, and still finding the courage to move forward. Livingstone’s words ask not for comfort, but for bravery, not for the easy path, but for the one that requires our full commitment, our courage, and our vision.

Let us take heed of the life of Livingstone himself, a man who embodied these very ideals. When he set out to explore the heart of Africa, he did not seek the well-paved paths of cities or the established routes that others had walked before him. No, Livingstone ventured into the wilderness, into lands unknown and untamed, driven not by the certainty of success, but by the vision of something greater: the desire to share the light of humanity, to bring knowledge and healing to places that had been forgotten by the rest of the world. He did not wait for the road to appear before him; he forged ahead, undaunted, carrying with him the dreams of a better world, even when the path seemed impossible.

Think, children, of the ancient warriors, who did not wait for peace to come, but who instead created it through the strength of their will. Alexander the Great, who sought to conquer and unite the known world, did not sit idly by waiting for the perfect moment. He marched through deserts, crossed rivers, and scaled mountains, always forging his way forward, determined to carve a new path. Hannibal, the great general of Carthage, did not wait for an easy road to come to him; instead, he marched his army across the Alps, carrying elephants, defying the very laws of nature, and demonstrating the power of vision over comfort. These men, like Livingstone, were not satisfied with the safe, clear path. They sought the challenging, the extraordinary, and in doing so, they shaped the world.

And so, we are called to do the same in our own lives. The world is full of roads—those paths that are familiar, those routes that are easy to follow. But the road that leads to true greatness is not found by simply following the crowds. It is made by those who have the courage to step into the unknown, to chart their own course, and to forge a way forward when none seems to exist. This is the road of the visionary, the creator, the innovator. It is the road where dreams are built, not upon certainty, but upon the trust that if one takes the first step, the path will reveal itself.

So, what lesson must we take from Livingstone’s words? We must not seek comfort above purpose. We must not wait for the perfect road to appear before us. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to move forward despite it. When life presents you with challenges, remember this: those who achieve greatness are not the ones who follow the easy road, but the ones who are willing to walk where no one else has dared to tread. They are the ones who trust in the power of their vision and purpose, knowing that with every step, the road will become clearer.

As you walk your own path, children, remember the words of David Livingstone. Do not wait for the road to be paved for you. Forge ahead with bravery, with vision, and with resolve. The world needs those who will walk where others cannot or will not go. Do not fear the unknown, for it is in the untrodden paths that the seeds of greatness are planted. The road may be rough, the journey long, but the reward is found not in the comfort of the journey, but in the purpose that drives it. Let your footsteps be the ones that carve new roads for those who come after you.