Directionally Challenged

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I’m a klutz. Unfortunately, I have to confess that I’m also directionally challenged. When someone tells me to turn right, I’m totally confused. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to figure out which way is left and which way is right. When told to turn left, I usually end up looking like a bobble head doll with a bouncing head as I simultaneously try to look in both directions at once. Naturally, this shortcoming gave me lots of problems when I was learning how to drive.

When I received my learner’s permit, my father got around my directionally challenged brain by telling me to “turn at that tree” or “turn at that barn.” But the day of my driving test, I knew I was in trouble. When my father let me drive around town for some final practice before test, I was in a nervous tizzy. And when we were in the church parking lot practicing parking, I finally voiced my fears.

“Daddy,” I wailed in rising panic, “I’m never going to pass if the examiner asks me to turn left or right. I’ll go the wrong way, I know I will!”

Suddenly, I heard my father chuckle. Without saying a word, he grabbed my hand and kissed it. I stared at him in surprise.

Dad smiled. “Just remember that I kissed you, and it’ll be okay.”

“How so?” I asked.

“When you’re taking your test, picture me sitting RIGHT beside you instead of the examiner. Picture me being RIGHT here. Can you do that?”

Still feeling confused, I nodded. “But how’s that gonna help me with directions?”

“Easy,” Dad said. “Which hand did I kiss?”

“This one,” I replied, waving it at him.

He nodded. “Could I have kissed your other hand while sitting RIGHT beside you?”

I shook my head. “Not without climbing over the steering wheel.”

He laughed. “The hand I kissed is your RIGHT one. And I’m RIGHT beside you. If you’re told to turn right, just turn in my direction. Turn in the direction of love.”

Thanks to Dad’s advice—and his kiss on my hand—I passed my driving test. And down through the years, I’ve cherished his advice to turn in the direction of love. You see, I’ve realized that Dad’s advice could’ve been echoed from the mouth of God. Whenever I’m faced with a puzzling decision, I always try to remember that God is RIGHT beside me. I try to always remember to turn in the direction that makes me feel God’s love and peace. Turning in the direction of love—I think that’s lovely advice.

 

“God grants good sense to the godly—His saints. He is their shield, protecting them and guarding their pathway. He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time.” Proverbs 2:7-9