Detour

"Wait! Stop - You're going the wrong way!" A chorus of passenger voices rose above the freeway noise.

The bus lurched to a stop, three-quarters of the way onto the I-94 eastbound ramp. The driver, new to the modified route, had gone through the intersection at Eleventh and Wisconsin and bore left, onto the eastbound ramp, rather than right, down Eleventh onto the westbound ramp. We were headed for Chicago rather than the State Fair Park and Ride. Not exactly what we wanted on a Friday afternoon.

With a little input from the passengers, the driver got us off the freeway at the next exit, through a bit of the city and back to an alternate on ramp without further incident. The unexpected detour caused a great deal of embarrassment for the driver, but beyond a fifteen minute delay in the schedule, no permanent damage.

Would that the same thing could be said of all of life's detours. Some, like our bus ride, are minor inconveniences. Others, however, have life changing consequences. But when we find our lives taking an unanticipated turn, help is available.

We are encouraged in Scripture to seek the advice of others. King Solomon says in Proverbs 15:22 "Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed". Getting some outside input into our situation can help us find a better resolution than if we rely on ourselves alone. On our own, we may see only part of the picture; consulting with someone else helps us see things we would miss, alternatives we had not considered.

Like the passengers on the bus, there are others around us who can help us navigate back to the main highway, if we are willing to listen to them.