To grasp the beauty of a solution, sometimes we have to reverse-engineer the problem that led us to it. And when it comes to learning things the hard way, I’m what you might call a frequent flyer. On this occasion, though, I wasn’t flying—I was driving. To Florida. One way in, one way out. My trip began and ended within a mile of I 95, yet I still had my GPS on—Google Maps on my phone.
I first learned to navigate by watching my dad unfold those big paper maps you bought at the gas station before a road trip. Lots of red, black, and blue squiggly lines to show you where you were—or at least where you should’ve turned left twenty miles earlier. Later came those spiral-bound atlas books. They felt tidier, and they helped calm my inner traveler (and maybe the family, too).
Then came the GPS. Those little gadgets had one job, but they did it well. Who can forget, “Make a U-turn when it’s safe to do so”? But now everything’s on the phone. It not only tells us what to do—it asks for our input. “Slow traffic ahead.” “Police reported.” “Left lane closed.”
Honestly, if it weren’t for all that cool data, I could’ve just asked someone how to get to Florida and been fine: “Head south.”
I was riding along, content with each update, when a new alert appeared: “Object in road reported ahead.”
“What kind of object? Which lane?” I scanned the road. Nothing. So I tuned it out.
Until the truck in front of me swerved.
And there it was—a three-foot traffic cone dead ahead. Before I could react—bam! Too late.
Here’s the point: We usually know the difference between right and wrong. We even get warnings along the way—small nudges, gentle alerts. But when no trouble follows, we start ignoring them. We tune them out… until we can’t. Then we replay what we should’ve done differently.
Maybe the real point here isn’t to fear the warnings—but to thank God for them. He’s not trying to ruin the trip; He’s trying to make sure we arrive safely. So before the crash, before the regret, maybe the wisest move we can make is to simply listen—and steer.

Editor’s note: Dan DeBruler is a Pastor and teacher, and has served Fayetteville and the surrounding area through Christian radio for more than 25 years.