I have been in ministry for close to 40 years. I have performed numerous baptisms. I have baptized people in the baptistry in church, swimming pools, the creek, lake and even the ocean. I had a first, though, last week.

My in-laws have moved in with us for a little while. They were in a really bad car wreck and needed to stay where they can have assistance with some of the everyday tasks of life. They will be moving to an independent living center in about 6-8 weeks. Until then, Jill (my wife) and I are letting them stay with us.

Because of some of their injuries, we have had to make some adaptations at the parsonage. We put in a handicap toilet, a grab bar in the bathroom and retrofitted the bathtub with a clamp-on hand hold and a shower chair. We also had to change the shower head to a hand held shower head.

And this is where the fun enters. We went to the hardware store and bought a new shower head with attaching hose. I cut open the box and took the unit out. Off to the bathroom I went. I used the Teflon tape to prevent any leaks. I hooked up the unit and…viola! I turned the water on, pulled out the shower knob and…I get plastered with Niagara Falls. Water shooting everywhere …the shower, the floor, wall and ME!

Jill brings a plastic packet she found in the package that contains rubber O-rings. “Would these help?” she asks. “Well, duh, yesssss,” I replied. I put on the Orings and…EEK! Same thing happens again, water everywhere. I try something else, and it doesn’t work either.

I am frustrated, wet and at a loss. After close examination of the hose and shower head I notice the ends are different. I wonder… I change the ends (switch the nozzle end and the water supply end). Then I turn the water on pulling the knob for the shower (shielding myself this time). And would you believe IT WORKS, no leaks. I walk out, confident and wet, head to the kitchen. I see this folded paper on the table next to the package. INSTRUCTIONS???

Well, maybe I should have read these from the beginning. Yep, there it is, every man’s friend, a picture/diagram of installation. And, yes, I did it wrong and found myself baptized by spraying! I was soaked.

All this reminded me of why they put instructions/ directions in packages. It also made me question why I resist reading these. It would save me time, frustration and having to change clothes.

But we all know that this is just the way men are. We don’t need directions. We are smart enough to get the job done without those silly directions. We are men, and we KNOW THINGS!

And it is not just men, but all mankind. We think we know better sometimes in some things. Things like salvation, getting right with God. God gave us His Word, the Holy Bible, to tell us how to come to Him, how to live for Him and how to treat others around us.

The problem is, we think we know better. We think we know a better way. We aren’t that bad…don’t cheat, steal, or cuss. We haven’t killed anyone and are nice to most people. Or, we go to church every Sunday, read our Bible each day, give money to the church and special offerings for missions or special causes, attend revivals, you know, we do all the right church stuff.

The problem is, as good as it sounds, as good as it seems to make us, it is not good enough. Jesus even tells us that there is only one way and that is though Him. When we try to do it our way, it is like me hooking up the new shower head. We just make a big mess… around us and on us!

We want to say to God, “Hey, I’m a smart person (maybe even college educated). I know things. I got this on my own. I don’t need any directions.” The problem is we are not that smart, we do not have this and we constantly need directions.

I guess PRIDE is the center of it all. We do not need any help, especially written directions. Time to put the pride behind us and avoid a baptism by shower. Actually, an eternity separated from God. Read the directions. It makes a difference.

Still drying out, Bro. Tim