The View from the Top
On a perfectly relaxing evening right before I was about to go out, it started raining. This wasn't a sprinkle, it was a D O W N P O U R.
Having weathered several storms, I was pretty confident this one was no different. I had some water proofing work done in my basement and was confident it would continue to hold up.
But, all of a sudden, I heard the sound of water INSIDE of my house! Then I heard a splat. The water made its way from the sky to the roof, from the roof to the attic, and from the attic to my living room floor.
I was pissed!!!!
So for the next week I met with roofers and roofing companies who gave me information and estimates.
To determine what the problem was they looked at the roof. We walked from the front to the back of the house and discussed what we saw and the difference between my roof and my neighbor's new roof.
Then, the insurance company came. I knew the insurance adjuster had no cut cards and would tell me the truth. I also knew he was bringing someone to take a closer look at my roof.
I heard a knock at my door. I asked, "who is it?" Hearing nothing I got back on the phone. Then, I went to my room to look outside (and to see who it was of course) and saw a ladder against the house. Shocked, I raced outside. It was the roofer hired by the insurance company. He was early, real early. Once I figured out who he was and checked his credentials, he climbed the ladder and stepped foot on the roof.
I watched from across the street as he walked on my roof - hoping and praying he made it down safely.
When he came down, he told me everything that was going on up there. He had some of the same information the other companies had but his view was different so he had more information than what they described.
With a better sense of what was actually going on I knew how to move forward. I learned a few valuable lessons that day and they can be applied to almost everything.
Here are the lessons I learned -
Wait for an Unbiased Opinion
Sometimes we make decisions based on input from people who have a stake in the situation. Oftentimes, you need someone outside of the situation for greater clarity and confirmation. Wait for this and keep people around who can judge situations without bias.
Get Wise Counsel
Feel people out to see if you can trust them before you take their advice. I want you to get help and guidance but from the right people. The old me would've taken the first estimate and moved forward not knowing I was wasting tons of money. Get wise counsel. It'll benefit you in the long run.
Understand Your Viewpoint
What perspective are you looking at the situation from? Are you looking from the ground or from the top? Once I learned what was going on from the top down, I knew how to move forward.
And most importantly, get confirmation from the One who sees it all! God sees all things and He can help when you don't know which way to go. In reality, there's no way any of us could see exactly what was happening on the roof because we were on the ground. It wasn't until someone climbed up on the roof that everything became clearer.
When making decisions, go higher. Trust me when I say His view is better. Don't rely on the people on the ground. Their view is limited. Take it to God in prayer and wait for an answer. It may not be the answer you want but His Word guarantees it'll all work out for your good.
Happy Waiting