First Christian Church, Flora, Indiana

June, 2010

I was 15 years old when our neighbor told me about her grandson who worked at Smith Watkins Hardware store. He was graduating from high school and would be quitting his job in July. She was sure that if I went and talked to the owner, Mr. Moore, he would hire me. So I rode my bike over to the store, talked with Mr. Moore, and before I knew it, I was hired as a stock boy and clerk. For 7 years I worked in that store until I graduated from college, and I learned a lot. The longer I worked there, the more responsibility I was given. But one of the things I remember best was putting together bikes and lawnmowers. I would open the box, lay out all the parts, and gather the tools I needed. I would pore over the instructions until I knew where each and every bolt was to go, even before I turned the first screwdriver. And a few moments later, after following the directions, I had put together a beautiful 3 speed racer, or a 21″ Lawnboy. I looked around, surely someone was smiling at my success, but no, it was only me who was beaming and proud of what I had accomplished.

As time went by, I got better at what I did. I finally got to the point where I didn’t need the instructions any more. Forget about the bolt or two left over. Don’t worry if I had a metal plate that seemed to have no place to go on the bike. I got so fast and so good at what I did, nothing would stand in my way. Then came the tiller box. There were hundreds of pieces. The instructions were folded up and I knew I didn’t need them. I was so confident. I know this would not take long at all.

A couple of hours later, after tightening bolts, and then having to remove them in order to get a piece in the right place, I gave up. I unfolded the piece of paper, those instructions, and read the proper order of how to do the assembly, and what went where and what didn’t go there. It was a humbling experience. I thought I knew it all. But in reality, there is much to learn and it actually helps to use the instructions.

About a year before I graduated from college, Mr. Moore came to me. He had an offer. He was going to be retiring soon and he wanted me to buy the business from him. He would arrange the financing, he would take care of the legal stuff, but he thought I had “read the instructions” enough to take over the hardware store. You of course, know my decision, though often I wonder where I would be and what I would be doing now, if I had not been called by God. That store is no longer there. Wal-Mart and Home Depot forced it to close. And even to this day , I think about the fun experiences I had at Smith Watkins.

Have you read the instructions lately? I have a dozen or so instruction books in my office and at home. They are called Bibles. They give a great set of  guidelines and suggestions as to how a person is to lead their life. Sometimes, I get caught up in thinking I don’t need to listen to that instruction book, and that I can go it alone. How mistaken I am. Open up its pages, and learn. You never know where it will take you.

Pastor Woody