Hold on to those instructions… You just might need them someday!

From the time my son was probably 2 or 3, he developed a love for transformers. My husband fostered that love by buying him a DVD box set of all the transformer shows from the 80’s. He absolutely loved watching his son enjoy the same shows that he had enjoyed as a kid. As our son got older, maybe around 4 or 5, we bought him a real transformer toy. My husband pulled out the instructions and showed him how to follow each step so he could transform his transformer. It did not take long for our son to have all the steps mastered, and when we attempted to throw away the torn opened box and the instructions, a major meltdown occurred! We realized right then and there that the little foldable instructions were just as important to our son as his new toy. In fact, even after he had mastered all of the steps of transforming his transformer, he continued to look through the pages of the instructions, carefully studying each step. He looked through that little book so often that one day a tiny tear appeared on one of the pages. He came to me with the instructions in hand and tear-filled eyes, showing me the tiny tear. I quickly repaired the place by putting clear tape over it and he was immediately relieved. To this day, at the age of 9, he still has a high value for his instructions. He keeps every single one and he repairs the pages that have been withered and torn due to him constantly flipping through them.

Over the years my husband and I have gotten a kick out of how particular he is with all his instructions. If it had been me at his age, I would have taken the toy and ditched the instructions! In fact, I know that’s what I did that because never in my young life did I had a collection of instructions for my toys, but what a tremendous example our son has set for us over the past 4 or 5 years! All of these years, he has been living with great wisdom!

This morning I sat down to read Proverbs 4 and as I read verse thirteen, my heart and mind became instantly flooded with thoughts of my son and how he has wisely held on to his instructions, understood their value, and how has been so vigilant in guarding them. This verse says, “Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.” After reading that verse, I called for my son so I could share this verse with him. I wanted him to know that his love for instructions have set a beautiful example for me, because not only did he keep them, he continued to study them so he could continue to know them well!

 Although these instructions have been centered on toys, it was a beautiful moment for us both to see how God can take that desire and transfer it to His word- the supreme set of instructions for our lives. These are instructions that God has graciously given to us, and therefore, we must hold onto to them tightly, guard them well, and constantly flip those pages until they become worn and withered so that those words are kept fresh in our hearts and minds!