“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” (Mattthew 7:12a NIV)
When you buy something that has to be assembled, do you discard the instructions with the box or package that contained your purchase? Or, did you go at least a little bit further and threw the instructions in your “catch all” drawer, just in case you could not figure out how to get things together on your own? I don’t know about you, but I have done both. Needless to say, you guessed it, there were consequences. For instance, I assembled two orange benches. The first one, took forever to assemble, probably because I went by my own assumptions on where things went. There was a lot of trial and error, as you can imagine. When I came to the second bench, I still resisted looking at the instructions. After I got it assembled, taking less time than it did to assemble the first one, I stood back and looked at my work. From one angle it looked perfect. Yet, from another angle, you could easily see the legs and the cross piece connecting them were clearly crooked. Following the instructions that showed me how to do it right would have been the proper thing to do, and as a result, both benches together would have passed anybody’s quality control team. But no, I had to be one of those people who discard the instructions.
The advice in today’s title is applicable to our daily living as followers of Christ. I’ve got proof! Wednesday afternoon, one of the Deaconesses at the church, a kindhearted soul, she brought a whole, fried turkey to my house so that I could have it for Thursday’s Thanksgiving dinner. After handing me the turkey, she got back in her vehicle to back out of the driveway and return home. For some reason, once I had put the turkey on the stove, I went to look out the front window. The Deaconess was parking her SUV in front of the driveway and walking towards my front door. She informed me that she might have put a small dent in a car that had been parked across the street for about three weeks with a flat tire. Examining her car, she saw no damage and wondered if she actually put the dent in the car across the street or was it already there. I told her that I would check with the young man who lived across the street when he got home. She drove off and I sat in the living room working on my computer as I waited for my neighbor to get home from work.
I had not sat on the couch for 5 minutes when my cellphone rang. It was the Deaconess informing me that she was going to come back because it did not feel right driving away. I told her I would go with her across the street and see if anyone else was in the house. We rang the bell, and there was no answer. She knocked once, and still there was no answer. She knocked again, and a large dog came to the door, looked out the window and barked loudly. Without hesitation, we retreated to my open garage, thinking that we should just leave a note. She wanted to do something except flee the scene. As we were preparing to write the note, a young lady comes to the porch across the street. We explain what happened, including the uncertainty that as to whether the damage was caused by the Deaconess. While the young lady called the owner, who was in Florida, while we waited in the garage. She found some papers, but not everything. So, she comes to the garage, and the two ladies started exchanging information. The Deaconess starts contacting her insurance company. Simultaneously, the young lady is talking on the phone, and the owner of the car conveyed that he did not want to report the incident, and her boyfriend probably could fix the dent. Because the Deaconess did the right thing she would not have to face consequences. There would be no police contacting her about failing to report the possible damage. The neighbor would fix it because he was good at that type of thing. Also, nobody’s insurance would be increased.
What does this have to do with the title? Well, the Deaconess knew what she had been instructed, as described in the opening and closing verses. She did not discard the instructions which she had received from the word of God. Let that be a lesson for you just in case you are one of those people who discard instructions, especially those given in the teaching and preaching of God’s word. Oh, before I close, the Deaconess commented to the young lady, “This is going to end up in one of his meditations.” Well, you know what the T-Shirt says by know, “Be careful what you say or do. I just my write about it.” I’m glad I did write about it, because, just perhaps, it will help us all. Have a wonderful Wednesday. Be blessed!
“No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 NLT)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King