The Best Tour Guide into Your Life

God guides us as He walks with us.

At this point, you preacher-types would illustrate this by talking about going hiking with someone who’s been on the trail. Or whitewater rafting with someone who knows the river well.

Not me. I’m way too nerdy for that. My thoughts went to two great experiences my wife and I had stepping into history.

If you’re ever remotely close to Dearborn, Michigan, spend a day at Greenfield Village. Henry Ford himself opened this in 1933, and it is literally an outdoor museum. He physically moved to this one spot several homes of historical significance: Edison’s home, Robert Frost’s home, the courthouse where Lincoln practiced law, the Wright Brothers bike shop, and a host of others.

My wife and I were there during the fall, and it was not crowded—almost empty. We walked up to the home the Wright Brothers grew up in and just stood there. Do you just look at it or what? We walked up on the porch. No one stopped us. We peeked in the windows. No one stopped us. We tried the front door; it opened, so we walked in.

And there was a young man dressed in the appropriate 1900s attire to talk to anyone about the house and its residence. Anybody being just Mary and me. I was familiar with the family from reading their biography, so it was nice to converse with someone knowledgeable and ask questions.

Mary asked, “So what’s upstairs?”

The tour guide said, “That’s the family bedrooms, but we don’t take anyone up there.”

So we continued our conversation—and my nerdy questions—about the home and family, but then the tour guide stopped and said, “No one else is here, so let’s go upstairs.” And with that, we had our own personal guide to the bedrooms of Wilbur and Orville Wright.

It’s great to have the right guide.

Another place worth visiting is Jamestown, Virginia. This is the first permanent English settlement in America, and since it’s not big, Mary and I figured we’d pop in for an hour and then head back to Williamsburg (another place worth your vacation). Instead, we spend hours there. You’re supposed to just walk around and look at stuff, but we latched on to someone who worked there—and knew what she was talking about. A small handful of us got a detailed look at Jamestown from an expert. She took her time to explain the archaeological dig that was taking place that day. As we walked, she told us what had been found, where they found it, and what it taught them.

You can’t beat an expert guide.

You want a guide? Get an expert.

No one knows your life better than God does. No one knows what’s what better than Christ. And just like the eager tour guide who wants to show us what he’s passionate about, God is eager to show you what He’s passionate about: how to fully enjoy the life He gave you.

King David used an even better illustration, one that captures the character of God. He related God to a shepherd. He walks with us. He guides us. He keeps us from harm. He protects us.

But don’t just take David’s word for it. Jesus—God Himself—said the same thing.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:10-11).

Want a good tour? Go to Greenfield Village.

Want a good life? Go to the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ.

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