Read the Instruction Manual
“Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.” [Proverbs 22:17]
Do you read instruction manuals? I don’t! I don’t like them! Rarely can I be bothered long enough to even read a page or two. Some things should just be intuitive and easy. Any “assembly required” projects at our house are relegated to my wife. Quite frankly, she is really, really good at putting things together! Why? Because she is wise enough to read the instruction manual!! Not me, it’s a waste of time!
Solomon was the wisest and wealthiest king to ascend to the throne of Israel. He amassed a fortune that the wealthy would still be envious of today. Wow! Imagine receiving 25 tons of gold annually! That was only one payment he received! But, he was also considered the wisest person to ever live. No one knows for certain who wrote these Proverbs but many scholars attribute them to Solomon, or at least, to his wisdom.
When I read the above “wise proverb,” it caused me to pause and really ponder what I was reading. I knew what the words said, but what did it actually mean?
Growing up, I was a rule follower. I didn’t want to do anything to get into trouble or cause embarrassment to my parents. I wanted everyone to think of me as the perfect son…but I wasn’t. Oh, I was never blatantly bad doing any of the rebellious things young people sometimes do—alcohol, drugs, partying. BUT, I did question the rules! When I got to college and away from home, I still wanted everyone to think I was a rule keeper and the perfect model student/athlete. However, what people didn’t know was that I did not like the rules. In college, I was selected to travel with a PR (public relations) group. We traveled around to various events and churches promoting the university and influencing high school students to attend our college. As you can imagine, there were written rules and instructions. But…I didn’t want to apply my heart to those rules.
The best instruction manual ever written happens to be the most widely published book of all time—The Bible. But, is it relevant in the 21st century? Applying my heart to the wisdom of the Bible requires a paradigm shift. Usually, we read instructions and try to apply them to our situation. However, what would happen if we applied our heart to what the Bible says? Embracing this way of thinking will lead us into a relationship with the author of the instruction manual.
Searching for answers? Seeking wisdom? What if you applied your heart to THE instruction manual?
