Who's Map Do We Follow?!

In my small group, we've been studying The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley. I've talked a little about it before, but the whole basis of the book is how to get from where we are to where we want to be. Reasons we find ourselves in bad situations - and how to get out! It's a pretty awesome book. If you've never read it, I highly recommend it!

When we are trying to get somewhere we've never been - going on vacation, going to a new town, etc... - we usually use a map, don't we? If we've never been somewhere we generally have no idea how to get there, right? We need some help...

Other aspects of our lives work the same way: we are all trying to go somewhere we've never been. So how do we ever get there?! Unfortunately there is no map that can show us how to get to where we want to be, but there are those around us who have been there! Stanley says that we know people who have great marriages, who have children that are a joy to be around, people who are living without debt... there are people who have been there and done that, regardless of the situation!

We all take cues from people don't we? Not necessarily in every day decision making, but in life patterns - things like financial, relational, moral, spiritual, and professional choices. But who do we follow? where do we get our "maps?"

Stanley asks:
"Did you consciously choose them? did you inherit them? Did you pick a set of maps as a reaction to the way you were raised? Are you just moving with the herd? Did you seek advice from someone older and wiser? Who's maps are you borrowing from? Who's patterns are you following? Who's journey are you emulating?

Who's map are you going to follow?"

Obviously Jesus provides the best map possible! His advice is always the best and will always lead us down the right path. But when it comes to advice from people, we have to make sure we're taking our cues from the right ones - people who know. Wouldn't it be great if we could learn from other's experiences, instead of having to experience certain things ourselves?!