FINDING OUR WAY

FINDING OUR WAY

Whenever you walk into a large mall or a park you see the handy little map with the red dot that says: “you are here.” At that point I have to turn my body in the direction of the arrow to orient myself. From that reference point we can pretty well navigate our way to our destination (at least head in the general direction). Many times I choose to ignore the map (sound familiar men?), thinking that I know the way, only to end up asking directions 10 minutes later as we come to a dead end or the exit sign. Not to be outdone, women also possess an uncanny sense of direction. My wife once drove almost 2 hours past her exit in Pennsylvania, but it was ok because she was deep in conversation with her good friend Caryn (last names withheld to protect ID).

We all wander about in life at times, bumping into strange things as if in the middle of the night with our eyes half closed. So it is with the majority of people we meet. Ask them where they are going in life and most will stare incredulously and say “I haven’t thought about that, I am just trying to get through the day!” Some people work just to make a living, but we make a life out of our work (hey that’s pretty good, I just thought of that). Our “occupation” can also be a “vocation” thus marrying two often divergent aspects of life. The apostle Paul put it this way; “Working with our hands the thing that is good so that we may have to give to those who have need”. The work of our hands should be involved in something “good” and our company is good for us, others and the planet. We work for a higher purpose than just gaining “stuff,” we want to have enough to give to others.

We have all seen or heard about those wonderful navigation systems for the car. Now if someone could just invent one for our life that would be great. A little voice that says “turn left here” or “you have arrived at your destination.” God does have a map for our life and a grand design, it is our task is to figure out what part we are supposed to be playing. Each life you meet is walking out the chapters of their life as part of a much bigger story. Some are seriously lost and reading the wrong book, others are just on the wrong page. The writer of Proverbs said “there are many plans in a man’s heart but the Lord directs his path.” Perhaps His plan involves you telling someone else about the products this week, showing them the red dot and helping them find their way.

Mike