Spirituality: The Bible is life's instruction manual
Dear friends,
A few years back I was heading home from Louisville, Kentucky. I had been visiting my dad. It was the fifth leg of a six leg journey that took me through eight different states. I love to travel. I am like a dog after a car when it comes to going to the airport. I even enjoy the demonstrations that the flight attendants give us in case we have an emergency.
I thought I was going to have to put those instructions into action that day. After a smooth take off we hit some turbulence. The plane bounced around quite a bit. I couldn’t believe that it was all caused by a few big, fluffy, white clouds. Thankfully, it didn’t last. Before long everything settled down again.
In those few intense moments I was hit with the reality that if an actual emergency existed, very few people would know what to do. Earlier, as the stewardess was going through her spiel, I didn’t see one person paying attention to her instructions. I’m not judging. I’ve been guilty of it too at times. Everyone thinks they know it all.
It’s par for the course today. We tend to ignore anyone who suggests there is a definitive way to act, live or be. When it comes to rules, very few people feel they apply to them and pay attention. No one wants to be told what to do. We often live as if we only need to think about ourselves. When trouble comes we panic. Then look for someone to blame.
It makes sense in a strange convoluted way if you think about it. We were created in the image of God. We have the capacity to think and to choose. The problem is this: When we begin to think we know better than those who are trying to show us the best way to handle life’s situations, we often end up making serious mistakes.
As for me, I want to be as well informed as possible. I want to know what to do in the event of an emergency. That’s why I want to hear what the flight crew has to say, even if I have heard it one hundred times before. I want to know where the seat cushions are located and what to do with the oxygen mask when the guy next to me is clawing at his throat for air.
The same is true with the challenges and trials of life. We need to be prepared. We have to be ready when trouble comes. That's why it's important to hear what God has to say. The Bible is essential reading. It reveals the best practices for facing emergencies. The Scriptures remind us that God will be there to show us the way through it.
You never know when life will bring turbulence your way. When it comes, and it will come, you don't have to wonder what to do. You can draw on the wisdom of the one who wrote life’s instruction manual.
God bless! See you in church. Cal.
The Rev. Cal Lord is the pastor of Central Baptist Church of Westerly. Reach him at calstigers@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Spirituality: The Bible is life's instruction manual
