I have a friend who is terribly befuddled with following directions if they include such things as: go North on such and such street, proceed East after the railroad crossing, park on the South West corner, etc. She understands only left, right or go straight. Many people have tried to teach her but she, and they, become frustrated.

I tried once too but didn’t get very far and then later I tried to analyze why. The thing is, you must start with at least one directional point firmly fixed in your understanding and everything else falls into place in relation to it. For instance, if you know your house faces north, it’s possible to understand east and west based on that.

When people are out in the middle of nowhere, totally turned around, a compass is needed where North can be established. Our spiritual life has a similarity. The Bible has often been called our “Moral Compass.” That is a very good metaphor. If the Bible becomes our firmly fixed directional point our next direction falls into place.

Pilate didn’t understand that as Jesus stood before him. The Lord said; “Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37) His response was; “What is truth?” (Verse 38) Having never established a firm pointer, he was twisting in the wind. Remember this the next time you aren’t sure where you are or which way to turn: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)