I like pottering around with stuff, even though I have no idea what is going on sometimes. I still remember the old rotavator on the farm. You hooked it up to a tractor and used it to plow the land.

One day as we were once again struggling to finish the work, I decided to tackle the machine to see if I could get it running again. I immediately phoned the agents who faxed the manual to me. With the picture in my hand I started loosening the bolts and nuts. I saw exactly what the problem was, ordered the parts, and put back the cogs and chains and stuff. The next day we had an extra rotavator and could neatly plough the rows between the vines.

I must confess, that clear picture showing how everything fit together helped me see where everything must go. Otherwise I would still have been trying to put it together. And if I had succeeded in putting it together, most probably a heap of parts would have been left over with me having no idea where they should’ve gone.

I am often amazed at people saying that they don’t really know what it means to be a child of God and how they should be living as Christians in todays’ world. We have the Word of God, which is like a manual that shows us exactly how we must act. Like the rotavator manual.

See how practical Paul is about this: ²⁵God’s servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. ²⁶You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil’s trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands.

This provides good guidance for how we must walk through life to make a huge difference. It’s like Jo Black who wants to teach children with his Be That Guy/Girl outreach events how to be a nice person who respects others and who walks with integrity through life.

Christians must take the lead and be nice, even though the other person is rude and negative. We must show others what it means to give. We must reach out to those that have fallen and help them up. And where people are lost, we must guide them in the right direction.

Live in a way that will make others also want to get to know God. As Estelle says of her husband:

I am a widow, evangelist and 70 years old and a child of God. About five years ago my husband died after three years of complications after we suffered an armed robbery.

But throughout his life he lived for Jesus. After his death, his staff said his life told who his King was. The other day I encountered a member of the group who rode the bus who asked after him. Shocked on hearing that he was with Jesus, she said: “You know, he had a heart of gold. You could always see Jesus in him”. 

They hadn’t seen him for seven years, but his life was still glorifying God.

What a testimony! May we study God’s Word. May we study his manual for us and make it part of us, so that we can be on the right road, and so that our lives may lead others to Jesus. Let’s try it today!

Scripture
2 Tim 2:22-26

Reflection
What in your life needs work?
Do you spend enough time in God’s Word?
Who around you needs guidance?

Prayer
Lord, thank you for your Word that teaches me and guides me to talk and act in the right way. I would like to follow your example so that I can be an example to others. Amen.