It was a beauty—the cherry-red car I saw in the showroom. It grabbed too much of my heart—and too much of my savings account. Soon ­after I bought it, my son and I took it on a trip to the Rocky Mountains. Our first day’s destination was the home of friends in Wisconsin.

It was a delight to be together as a dad and son on that journey. We were glad to be greeted by our friends in Wisconsin—until we heard an unsettling crunch of metal on metal. Oh, oh—what happened?!

We went out to look. It wasn’t good. Our friends’ young ­driver had backed their “beast” into the left front of our brand-new car, which wasn’t so beautiful anymore. We stood there in shock, shaking our heads in dismay.

Then my son said, “Well, Dad, it has happened. Now the important thing is how we respond.” I felt like saying, “Easy for you to say; it’s my car!” But my better self came to see the wisdom of his words.

What treasure was my heart set on? On a car, now marred with ugly damage? When the unwanted happens—an acci­dent, illness, death, whatever—the important thing is how we respond. Paul’s words in Romans 8:28 remind me to look to God and to know that he will work things out to bring good.