Tip of My Iceberg

There’s a scene in the “Wizard of Oz” where Dorothy first meets the Scarecrow. He’s hung up in the middle of the field, and she has no idea which way to go. The Scarecrow tries to help, but his efforts are confusing. He points every which way, both shaking and nodding his head. Dorothy’s query led to a logical explanation: “Are you doing that on purpose, or can’t you make up your mind?” His reply was he couldn’t make up his mind because he had no brain.

It’s a little like this sign that points to a real location and one that’s just make-believe.

When life gets confusing, sometimes the road to the Whoop-Di-Doos seems better than what’s real.

Signposts aren’t always easy to see, so many of us use GPS to get us to unknown places. (There are those individuals, my husband for one, who believe they know better than the directions given by a phone. He’s also the one who refused to stop and ask for directions years ago when we got lost.)

I’ll be the first to admit that Siri doesn’t always know where she’s going. This past week, I had to get to a location on the far west side of Orlando, so I diligently plugged in the address and headed off. Fifteen minutes into the trip, the directions had me leaving the interstate, a move I didn’t understand. I followed the given instructions, which had me leaving by an exit, looping around, and getting right back on, heading the way I was already going.

A total waste of time. Maybe my husband knows better than I do.

When I’m given wrong directions, I tend to question the accuracy of the one giving them out. It was very early in the morning, so no one I knew was up yet. I couldn’t verify the route. I had to keep following my GPS, much to my chagrin.

We’re all looking for a way to go in life. Those in their teens are determining if college is the correct path for them, and if it is, which one? Maybe a trade school? Or, if one is creative, become entrepreneurial and possibly pursue a totally unknown path? As we grow older, we long for a path that will provide for us and any who are our responsibility. As we near the end of our journey, we long for a path that will kind and smooth.

We’re also looking for who to follow, who will have the character, strength, and purpose we can agree with. It’s why people are so enthralled with influencers, people who will check something out for them and give a report intended to encourage a purchase.

It has nothing to do with character or purpose.

Jesus declared Himself to be the Son of God. The way. He said:

“‘The Father and I are One.’ Once again, the people picked up stones to kill Him. Jesus said, ‘At My Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone Me” They replied, ‘We’re stoning You not for any good work, but for the blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.’” John 10:30-32.

C.S. Lewis, author, theologian, and scholar, once stated that to consider Jesus anything other than who He claimed to be was foolish. He didn’t leave that option open. He claimed to be God, so He was who He said He was, or He was a liar, who has done more for the world than any truth, or He was a lunatic, who has helped mankind more than any sane person. Following Jesus is a known path of hope.

As fun as Whoop-Di-Doos sounds as a location, it’s not the path of hope or contentment.

Jesus provides the one way we need to find ultimate peace, rest, and purpose.