I must say that I am completely out of my comfort zone on this post. I always feel that I am one post closer to being voted out of the blogosphere world. I have really stepped out on a limb with this one, and I am certain that a Jeff Probst look-a-like will come forward and extinguish my torch. I am not a devotion type writer, but this has been on my heart lately, so here it goes…
I am directionally illiterate. I want to be able to give good directions, but quite frankly I can’t. It is just one of those things that I can’t do no matter how hard I try. To be totally honest, at times I still get my left and right confused. Thankfully I know that my wedding ring is on my left hand and my freckle on my ring finger is on my right. Or, wait, is it the other way around? No, wedding ring is on the left and freckle is on my right. Phew, glad I got that straightened out.
My ability to give directions or for that matter receive directions is usually a complete and utter failure. When I was growing up if someone called to ask for directions to the house, I would hunt for someone else to give them. If I couldn’t find anyone and it was left up to me, chances are you would find yourself lost in the middle of Nowhere, USA. Which would be ok if you were in the middle of nowhere in our driveway, but usually one of my rights should have been a left and East should have been West.
I get lost looking at a map. I can’t figure it out; it is something that I just cannot do. It is laid out right in front of me which way to go, but chances are if I am the one giving the directions to the driver you better believe I am going to get it wrong. This creates much tension and sometimes yelling which usually leads to tears. If you want us to be somewhere and give us verbal directions, you better tell them to my husband. I will never get them right, ever.
One of my biggest directional failures came when we were headed to my husband’s employers wedding. It was in downtown Kansas City. We were really lost, REALLY lost. We drove around for quite some time. There were some choice words said and some tears were spilled (I am very emotional at my directional illiteracy). We were going to be very late, but we did eventually find where we thought the wedding would be. We decided it wouldn’t be a very big deal we could just walk in and find a seat at the back. Oops, another failure, we had arrived at the reception site.
After that incident we received quite possibly the greatest invention ever to grace our family, the GPS. I could go out on a limb and say that it saved our marriage, but that might be pushing it a bit. All I can say is that it is wonderful, especially for those as directionally illiterate as I am.
I started thinking about how the Bible is like a map or a GPS. It gives us a path. It gives us direction. It points us in the way that we should go. Sometimes it is easier to look at a map with another person so that you can confer which direction is the best route. When you look at the Bible with another person, you can collaborate about the true meaning of a verse or passage.
It all comes down to choice though. You can choose to follow God’s teachings or not. You can choose to follow the path that is laid out in the Bible or not. But you can be rest assured that if all of a sudden you realize that you were on the wrong path, you have the Bible as your GPS. It can help you get back on track. It may tell you to take a “legal u-turn”, but if you follow the Bible you will not be led astray. That being said, the changing of paths may not be the easiest. It may be bumpy. It may be a back road. It may be a road less traveled. Let’s face it, it may be one of the hardest things you have to endure but as a believer in Christ your reward will far outweigh whatever hardships you went through.
I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Proverbs 4:11-13, NIV
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Proverbs 4:26, NIV
Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path. Proverbs 23:19, NIV
2 comments:
My sister lived in KC for years and our son does now, so we've been lost up there lots of times!
The worst was a few years ago when we went with friends to see the Plaza lights at Christmas. Since our son and his wife had an event to attend that night, we wrote down the directions, loaded up the 2 granddaughters, and led our little caravan downtown.
Those winding and climbing KC streets made our youngest carsick and in the underground parking lot, as grandpa hurriedly tried to get her out of the backseat, she threw up on both of them.
While we were trying to clean up that mess, our other granddaughter got her finger slammed in the car door!
With both of them crying, we decided to take them back home & leave our friends to view the lights alone.
Somehow (and it's not hard in KC!) we got on a wrong street and were headed east instead of west. By the time we realized our mistake, stopped and got out the map, we were hopelessly lost. Now grandpa and grandma felt about as bad as our 2 girls in the backseat and we all just wanted to be home.
So guess what we did? We called my sister who has been living in Texas for 10 years but still knows the KC streets like only a postal inspector could. She figured out our location from the GPS built into her brain and got us back on the right route!
Being lost in Kansas City can be a very frustrating experience, but being lost in this life is certainly more serious. Thanks for reminding us of that!
One of my favorites from The Map: The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. I Tim. 1:5
I am pleased, but not surprised, what a wise and wonderful woman my "other daughter" has grown up to be. And, in case you've forgotten, I love you!
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