just need the instructions

Last night my son said a very alarming thing to me. He said " mom, I decided I don't like instructions. I don't need them. Instructions are just some one trying to tell me what to do and control my life, so now I never follow instructions.not even for computer games, I just ignore them and figure it out"

Um, hello. Rebellious before the age of 8??? My mommy panic button went off. you see,  In MY mind you say instructions and I say scriptures...ready?

(you) Instructions
(me) SCRIPTURES! =)
(you) Instructions
(me) SCRIPTURES! =)

.....and I could keep going on like that all day, but you get the point. For years I held similar thought as Jack, I didn't want nobody or nothing to direct me. I was a strong gal who could figure it out by my own intelligent self, dang it. Then One day it dawned on me that it was a silly belief. I mean how many jokes are there about guys who refuse to pull over and get directions and their families have to deal with the consequences?  Not to mention the fact that I KNEW the scriptures were like my life instruction manual, so why would I think I should follow those but not the ones that help me set up my children s toys or teach me how to use a new kitchen appliance?? I realized my thinking was twisted and needed a course correction, thankfully I have found a lot of joy in learning to follow the instructions AND I think it has helped me spiritually as well. Of course I understood the scriptures were my instructions, I had been taught it at least. BUT, I have found that by practicing following instructions, it gets easier and easier to follow the little guidelines and the big on regardless of the source, I am better at following Christ instructions because I am practicing the art of following instructions every where in my life.

So yes, when I heard Jack-attacks little rant about some one trying to control his life, my mommy panic button went off, I know I was lucky that despite my rebellious nature I understood to my core that I should stay close to the Lord. Looking back it was one of the few things that kept me out of serious trouble. But what if Jack is not so lucky? What if I can't help him see it or feel it deep in his soul?

We talked, I asked if he could think of a time when instructions helped him out....he came up with a Halo analogy and how he could better use a vehicle AFTER reading the instructions. Then I told him that the scriptures are instructions, and asked why it might be important to follow them.

He decided that we could go through life with out instructions, we might even accomplish some awesome things. He was confident that even with just a picture we could get the job done. In the end though, I told him we might not do things properly or as good as we would want to, like with his legos that do super cool things. We wouldn't get to know about those things if we hadn't followed the instructions, page by page. A simple picture could not show us how to do those things or that they were even possible.

 I don't think I altered his entire way of thinking. I will say, it made me think again about my life and what kinds of instructions am I reading or not reading. How well am I following those instructions and have I looked close enough to see the fun things that occur when I follow them to a tee..