Ever see a grown man having an argument with a chair?
Ever see him win the argument? – Me neither.
My dad, like many dads, knew there were savings to be had when he saw this familiar phrase on the side of a box, “Some Assembly Required” – and my dad LOVED savings.
The degree of excitement in his eyes always correlated between two things; the complexities of the contents and determining the simplicity of the build. Had the 10, 20, 30 or even 40 percent savings been worth it? Complexity and simplicity, though appearing to be at odds with each other, were the key factors.
Every piece was then systematically removed from the box and placed in a coordinating pile on the floor to be studied thoroughly. For some “dad only knows” reason, it was crucial to determine, right away, if the build could be done in less than an hour – the benchmark among men. You might be were risking your man status in the neighborhood if you were seen working on a project like this for more than an hour, and if you had underestimated and the clock was running out corners would need to be cut to bring the project in on time.
This made the final piece of the puzzle, the plastic bag filled with all the nuts, bolts and screws required vital in the final time-table determination, and my dad would study the bag and its contents thoroughly, like a detective scrutinizing every little detail of a crime scene
Once my dad was sure the project could be completed on time you would hear him say to himself, or a questioning dad walking by, “I’ve got this!” – And the project would commence.
Do you see what is missing in this accusation? The directions on how to build the table, chair, or bookshelf have been discarded. Oh, they were in the box, but were just glanced at and then tossed aside like the skin of a banana once peeled. Be careful you don’t slip on it, dad.
You see, when my dad would announce, “I’ve got this!” He was saying he and he alone could handle the task ahead. No help, or directions, required.
Even today, all too often, I find myself approaching my faith in the same way – seeing a problem in this world that could use some Godly fixing and thinking, “I’ve got this!” without looking or merely glancing at the directions – the Bible, and then tossing it aside. And what usually happens? I slip up.
The tough reality is our kids are watching. They are curious to see how dad fixes things. Does he use the directions or cast them aside?
This next generation believer needs to see us, now more than ever, make the directions the first thing we take out of the box so they begin to see how to build their lives around God. 2 Timothy 3: 16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
The Bible is a daily reminder of how to build a righteous life within ourselves. No more going it alone or cutting corners or we will slip up. Take time today to study your instruction manual. Understand where each part of your life fits in this world. Time spent talking with the carpenter’s Son before you take on the complexities of this world might help make the task a bit simpler. “You.ve got this!”
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