What WAZE You Down? Are You “Direction” Challenged?
For some time my son, Larry, was encouraging me to use the “free” Waze app on my phone. He told me that it was a much better option than any other GPS system or app. I tried using it but still didn’t trust it when it would take me off the beaten path to get to my destination. But, in my many travels over the last 10 months, I’ve become more familiar with it and have found that it is quite trustworthy. Still there’s that notion that I don’t completely trust him (I have an Englishmen’s voice instead of the female voice on my Waze app. What can I say — I still enjoy hearing a man’s voice direct me!”) But yesterday morning I headed out for an appointment to an unfamiliar location so I asked Mr. Waze for directions. He gave me exactly opposite of where I needed to go. He wasn’t making sense, so I did it my way. Sure enough, my way led to a completely closed road which detoured me back the way Mr. Waze wanted me to go. He knew what was best for me.
Maybe this is somewhat of a promo for Waze because I want my friends to get to their destination with less stress and anxiety. Waze helps do that. This isn’t a scheme to get you to buy something, but it is a suggestion to download this app that seems to know everything about the roads and places around us. Here’s the way Waze works. People, like you and me, work together toward a common goal to outsmart traffic and get everyone the best and fastest route to where they need to go. It tells us about traffic and it gives us a heads-up about police, accidents, road hazards and traffic jams — which Waze knows because other drivers are providing the real time information. You can even navigate it to the best priced gas station on your route because the Waze community shares best gas prices. I love that –“people helping people”!
As I navigated my way back around to get get to my appointment, I scolded myself for thinking, once again, “MY way is better”. I thought “If only I’d followed his directions, I wouldn’t be late for my appointment!” The most sophisticated directional technology in the world is not much help if we won’t follow its directions.
And it’s the same with listening and following the directions of He Who knows everything about everything and is ALWAYS accurate in His course directions. When we follow God’s instructions, and not waver off the path He’s laid out for us, or think “my way is better”…then, there will be no anxiety or concern about getting lost — He’ll make sure we’ll get to where we need to go, and arrive when we need to get there!!
Once again this scripture that I often post still applies and it merits repeating today. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your OWN understanding; in ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6