True North

Yesterday while out walking I saw a brace of ducks flying south. Ducks are not graceful in flight and it brought a smile to my lips to watch the awkward wing movements that somehow manage to keep the ducks aloft. But what struck me the most was the wonder at how those ducks know to go south. How do caterpillars know to cuddle into a cocoon to become butterflies? How do bears know to overeat in autumn hibernate until spring? It seems that all around me are animals that know instinctively what to do when. So, I’m part of the animal kingdom. Why don’t I know?

But then I thought a little more and realized that I do know. The problem (or blessing) is that I have agency and while deep down in my heart I always know what I should do, I often use my agency to rationalize away what my heart is telling me to do. But if I treat my heart like a compass and set it on True North, which in this case is Jesus Christ, and then obey the instincts of my heart, I will always be led to what I should do when I should do it.

Maybe this True North is what Paul was wishing the people when he wrote to them, “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).