Guidance and Error

Driving through the city last month, I was nearly out of gas. With a 2 and a half hour daily commute, it happens a lot and I tend to ride the “Empty” line as long as I can. But here I was riding on fumes in a part of the city I rarely drive through and I couldn’t recall for certain if there was a Petronas station ahead on my right or not. If I continued on my present course, I doubted I could make it to the next one. Approaching the intersection, I just had time to glance down the road. Seeing a glimmer of the green Petronas symbol, I hastily made the turn.

It was a mechanic! The Petronas sign I had glimpsed was for Petronas-brand motor oil. I cursed the sign and the shop and resigned myself to running out of gas at the side of the road. But as I looked ahead, further down the road, out of sight from the intersection, was the Petronas station I had vaguely remembered. I pulled in and refueled.

You may exhale now, I know that was gripping.

But dear readers. What was that first sign? Was it misguidance? Was I right to curse it? I have been unable to put it out of my mind. Was it deceptive? It showed itself exactly as it was, it was I who misread it.  Was I misled? I followed the wrong sign, but it led me to my goal.

Glory be to He who guides through error and makes goodness the outcome of evil.