Pointing True North
This past Sunday, I finally made it back to the men’s Bible study group at church. It had been nearly two months since I last attended—not out of disinterest, but because my schedule never seemed to line up. One week I even showed up only to realize it wasn’t scheduled, since the group meets every other Sunday. But I was glad to be back.
I want to talk about how I came to meet these men in the first place and how their fellowship has been part of the journey God is leading my family and me on as we prepare to serve on mission for His Kingdom.
It all started at a Men’s Worship and Fellowship event that our church sponsored. That’s where I met the group leader and some of the guys who now gather faithfully for the Glen Rose Men’s Group. That night stands out in my mind because of one simple, yet powerful, illustration.
A gentleman spoke and passed out small button compasses to each of us. He began talking about World War II and how American paratroopers were issued a compass much like the one we now held. Having served as a paratrooper and Jumpmaster myself, my attention locked in. I gripped that compass tightly as I listened and prayed.
He explained that when the paratroopers jumped into darkness on foreign soil, they often had no idea where they had landed. They had to crouch low, conceal themselves, and pull out their compass and map to get their bearings. The compass needle always pointed to Magnetic North, which allowed them to align their map and begin navigating toward their objectives. But here’s the catch—Magnetic North wasn’t the same as True North. To get to where they needed to be, they had to calculate the difference and adjust their path.
The speaker then made the connection that Christ is our True North. As Christian men, everything we do must be oriented toward Him before we take a step forward. Just because we think we are walking “north” doesn’t mean we are aligned with True North. If we are not correcting ourselves back to Christ, we can slowly drift off course without even realizing it.
That simple compass became a symbol for me—a reminder that my role as a man, a husband, and a father is not just about walking, but about walking in the right direction.
Scripture makes this clear:
Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” Like the paratroopers, our “straight path” is only possible when we align ourselves with God’s True North.
John 14:6 reminds us, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus is not just a compass—He is the very path we must walk.
Ephesians 5:25 charges husbands specifically, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Our leadership begins at home. If we are not guiding our families toward True North, we risk leading them into confusion and darkness.
When I think about that compass, I am reminded that leadership is not about being in motion, but about moving in the right direction. As men, we are called to lead courageously, humbly, and faithfully, not just with our words but with our daily walk. Our families, our communities, and even the next generation are watching where we set our bearings.
So I keep that little button compass close by, not because I plan on parachuting into enemy territory, but because every day as a Christian man is a spiritual jump into a world that needs light. If I don’t check my bearings, I can drift. But if I look to Christ(True North), I can lead my family and others toward the eternal victory we have in Him.
This season of our life is a living testimony of that truth. God has been aligning my steps, correcting my bearings, and setting my heart on mission in ways I never imagined. He has been preparing my family and me for something bigger, something that points directly toward His Kingdom purposes.
Tomorrow, we’ll be sharing a piece of that journey publicly for the first time. It’s a step of faith, born from obedience, and rooted in a desire to keep walking toward True North. I can’t wait to share more, but for now, I’ll simply say: when we fix our eyes on Jesus, He leads us into places far greater than we could have charted on our own.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2).
May we all be men who don’t just march forward, but who march in the right direction.
Tomorrow is just another step in the journey - always pointing True North.
Calen
