14May2014 Long Road

He was standing in the turning lane of a four-lane road.  Straddling his bike.  Staring at his smart phone.   Oblivious to passing traffic, including me, as I drove up.  I cringed a little.  My friend had come a long way from Horn of Africa just to get clobbered by traffic in our little town.  

I parked parallel, driver's side window even with his handle bars and said "Selam!" ("Hello," and the only word I could think of in Tigrinya at the time) startling him.  A big grin spread across Tefay's face.

"Hello, my brother.  So good to see you."  I wanted to smack him in the forehead but refrained, grabbing his arm and pulling him closer to me and farther from an oncoming sedan instead.  "What are you doing out here?  Is something wrong?"  It was tough to scold him.  His demeanor completed disarmed.

"I have found a new apartment and I want to talk to the owner.  The map is here." He showed my his phone.  "Can you help me?  This map says it''s 48 minutes by bicycle."  Several appointments beckoned by I couldn't leave him.  "Sure, I will take you.  Throw you bike in the back of my truck and get in."  Gratitude washed over his face.

I looked at the the office address and looked at his map again.  It didn't compute.  I knew this place.  We were 500 yards away as the crow flies.  48 seconds by car, maybe the same by bike...if he peddled quickly.  Less than a minute later we pulled into the office parking lot.  He looked at his phone again and scratched his head.  I laughed...heartily and patted Tesfay on his shoulders.  "Thank God for you!"  He said pointing to the sky as he began to laugh as well.   He jumped out of the truck, unloaded his bike and yelled "Ciao!  Thank you brother!"over his shoulder.  

I've been thinking about this experience tonight.  What would have happened if I hadn't come along?  Tesfay would have peddled his bike for 48 minutes, in nearly 90 degree temperatures, to the wrong address and then peddled back another 48 minutes home without accomplishing his task.
The same exact thing can happen to us.  GPS withstanding, it's very possible for us to follow poor advice or poor directions, continue along an arduous path, waste a lot of time and energy and not get where we need to be.
Jesus told us He is the WAY, the Truth and the Life.  No man gets to the Father but through Him.  Following other ways, other truths or other lives will most certainly lead us somewhere but it will inevitably lead us to the wrong place.  So get peddling brother, or sister.  BUT first make sure you've got good directions!