Follow the Operating Manual
June 4, 2008
As I was growing up, my father may have thought I did not listen to what he had to say. However, I did learn many lessons from him as I grew up. One of those lessons was to use things for what they were designed to do. For example, I may use a socket wrench as a hammer or us the wrong shaped socket on a bolt. Sure enough I would break or strip something causing us to go get a new part.
Contentment works in a similar way. We were all created in God’s image and His likeness (Gen 1:26). If we are created in His likeness, then we are also designed to operate in a way that is in His likeness. For example, Christ was the ultimate example of humility for us to learn from (Phil 2:3-8). Humility is not only looking for our own personal interests, but also the interests of others. When we do not use it in our own lives, we find ourselves unhappy. This is because when a we look at life through a selfish perspective, we set ourselves up for disappointment. When we are only interested in what we want, we often find it does not go that way leaving us upset.
Conventional wisdom, probably from the media input we allow, says that happiness is from getting what we want. This can be to the extent of walking over others. Too bad this way destroys many relationships and can even put people in jail. So often we see these people in our offices. Married couples where one side will do anything to fix the relationship, the other is unwlling to give up their control. Someone who will not negotiate with their own customers leaving a bad recomendation. The list goes on and on, all because we refuse to be a servant to others. If we all wanted to be servants, there would be no murder, rape, theft, or divorce!
Fortunatly, we have God’s word which is our operating manual. Even if the entire world never gets it, we can use it on an individual level and experience contentment for ourselves. Choose thois day who needs to be listened to. We can listen to the designer or the design when it comes to happiness. I choose the designer.
Great article. It’s interesting that when we follow “the manual” our life is beautiful and things go the way they should. I believe this is one of the strongest evidences that the Bible is real and inspired. It’s up to us to show the world it is real by our example of following the manual.
I agree. I used to be a miserable human being until I started following what the Bible says. I now have so much more contentment by following it.
I just recently began to really follow the “operating manual” and, much as a child learning to walk, I am suceeding, one day at a time. I’ve learned that when I try to hurry and run ahead, God waits on me. When I put my hand in the cookie jar before lunch, God forgives me. Jesus taught that we should be as little children, forgiving others and not holding grudges. Loving even those who don’t return the love. How many times does a child fall down trying to walk? They don’t care who is watching, they keep getting up. Even when they stand and bump their head on a table, they don’t quit. The unconditional love and the humilty of a child is an example for us all. We have to crawl befor we walk, walk before we run, and pray fervertly for our journey to be according to God’s plan. Our God covered everything we will encounter on this earth in our operating manual! Praise him and may we all be Children of The Light bring praise and glory to God!
A child is a very good comparison to this training. A person must learn to crawl before they can walk. When they get to the walking they fall, but they also get back up and keep going.
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