The BBQ saga

We need to introduce a compulsory new subject into our school system. Urgently!

We need to teach ‘Assembly’ – the art of putting things together that you have bought that come as flat-packs - all in parts and pieces in a box.

Everything I buy seems to come in a box, full of screws and nuts and bolts and washers…

My most recent purchase was a BBQ – and it came in a box! So I had to get the screwdrivers, spanners, hammers – and then open up that little book entitled ‘assembly instructions’.

I read them carefully. I looked at the pictures. I counted out all my parts and pieces. I sorted everything out, took a deep breath, and began.

Things seemed to be going well as I continually referred back to the pictures, back to the instructions – until I realized I had the legs on around the wrong way!. So everything had to be undone and redone.

As I got to the end of one stage I realised I had a piece left over. I could see where it was supposed to go but I couldn’t get it to fit. Fortunately a friend was visiting, and I showed him the offending, ill-fitting piece. He was able to quickly identify that it was supposed to go on the inside, not on the outside where I was trying to put it.

While I was thanking him profusely, he quietly pointed out that the legs were on the wrong ends. Aagghh. How could I have got things so wrong? I had the instructions, I had the diagrams. I thought I was following them correctly.

With this correction of a friend, I was able to get things right, get it all connected and tightened, and was able to enjoy the fruits of my labour at dinnertime. And I was only short 2 nuts, which I must have put somewhere they weren’t supposed to be. Almost perfect.

Christians have the Bible, we have the teachings and the example of Jesus, but sometimes, no matter how carefully we think we’re reading the instructions, we get the application wrong. We misinterpret something, or misunderstand how it’s supposed to be applied.

As I came across the problems with my BBQ construction, I was heard to say “stupid BBQ” “these instructions are wrong” “they haven’t made the BBQ properly!” when all along it was the incorrect following of the instructions, and my handling of the pieces that was wrong.

Unfortunately, many outside the Christian faith see the mistakes that Christians make and either say, “stupid religion” “the Bible is wrong” or “the whole God thing makes no sense”.

And those who call themselves Christian can easily get discouraged by the mistakes and misunderstandings and misbehavior of themselves and/or their fellow believers.

I encourage you Christians to keep at it, keep referring to the instructions, listen to the counsel of a friend, and don’t be afraid to undo and start over again in matters of following Jesus.

I encourage those outside the Christian faith not to blame God or the Bible or religion in general for the awful mistakes and misapplication that followers sometimes make. They’re just learning and trying to put things together in the way that the manufacturer (God) intended.

And to the Minister for Education, please teach my kids how to assemble flat-packs, so I don’t have to endure another Saturday afternoon like the BBQ assembly day again.

www.salvationarmy.org.au/mornington