I found the Bermuda Triangle of Alberta! The area is found between Okotoks, Vulcan and Strathmore. I’ve got an exceptionally good internal compass, but for some reason it does not seem to work in this area. Having traversed this path many times it often baffles me.

This past weekend I was travelling from Brooks to High River when I sought this back-way again to save some time. Being of the male variety I naturally resisted consulting either map or GPS. The sky this time was like a Vancouver winter, except on this occasion there was no sign of mountain or skyscraper to gather a bearing on my locale. Somehow I ended up going West when I thought I was headed South. Then I got to a highway marker that said the path was “South” when it was really “East”. Ultimately the map showed me later it did eventually turn to the South, but after an Eastern diversion. With my wife at my side I melted and finally admitted my need of directional tools, stopping to do a recalculation (good think this triangle is not over water). In the end I think I only added about six miles to our journey and we got to our destination on time.

In the Disney animated feature “Cars” the racecar McQueen has to learn the skill of turning right to go left, but you will need to see the movie to why. In this life God’s directions are often the opposite of our natural inclination. In Luke 22:25-26 we read Jesus words: "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.”

In this world people fight for control. We see this on our playgrounds, at business meetings, in talk radio, while driving on the freeway, and even within families. It is not in our nature to think the way to live is as a servant to others. We are admonished by Jesus to be more like children than like presidents or company executives. Our natural thinking needs to be twisted around and we need directional assistance.

We’ve heard the sermons, read the books and seen the verses, but when does this truth really come in for a landing? Can we really let go of our internal desire to “exercise authority” when someone else voices an opinion different from our own? In the middle of situations that make our ire rise to the surface, can we continue on the road God has set us on resisting our human desire to meddle?

The way up is really down. We need internally to allow God to reset our compass and provide His light for the next step on our path. It is all about Him and not about us.

May God give you His wisdom in these things!

Your co-worker, Dennis