A Man on Vacation

Judah is apparently blocked from the blog during this trip to China. He has sent the following story from a recent podcast for me to post on his behalf. I found it quite thought provoking...


A man decided to go on a long trip one summer. Since he was going to be gone for so long, he decided to have one of his good friends watch his house while he was gone. The man wrote down instructions for watering plants, when to cut the grass, where the weed killer was and how to use it, how to work the air conditioner, how to run the dish washer, explained where the vacuum cleaner was, and various other instructions on how to keep the house in order.

The day finally came for the man to leave for the long vacation. When his friend showed up, the man handed him the instructions, showed him around the house, and said that the instructions would help him in taking care of the house. The friend agreed, and wished him on his way.

Some time later, the man returned from his vacation. When he got home, the first thing he noticed was that the yard was over grown. He thought this was strange, since one of the instructions he specifically mentioned was how to start and run the lawnmower. He got inside, and much to his surprise, noticed the house was a complete wreck. Dishes were all over the kitchen. Plants were dead. The carpet was disgusting - covered with stains, foot prints, and moldy food. The home was a complete mess!

He finally found his friend in the back yard, sitting on the deck enjoying a nice glass of tea, reading a book. The man asked his friend, “What happened here? Did you not read my instructions for taking care of my place?”
His friend responded, “Oh, yes. I did read the instructions. I read them over and over. I even highlighted parts that I thought were very important. You did a really good job on writing them, by the way.” He handed him the instructions, and the man could tell that they had been read thoroughly, with some points highlighted, underlined, and even notes that were written about some of the instructions.
“But my house is a wreck! You have done nothing that I have asked!” the man said, exasperated.
“But, I read your instructions, over and over. I even selected some as very important, and even put them to memory!” the friend responded.
The man was so angry. His house was a disaster. He turned to his friend and said, “Depart from me. I do not know who you are.”

The story is a reflection of our lives as Christians. God calls us to do more than know His Word. There is more to a life of Christianity than knowing verses out of the bible, memorizing key scriptures, or just plain reading the bible on a regular basis. We must take care of what God has entrusted us to. For each of us, it is different, but the bible is still applicable, no matter to what God has called us. We can not just sit around, reading the bible. Our lives must reflect a life that God would be proud of.

What is it that you have been entrusted with? What is it in your life that God has felt you can take care of? If He were come check on it, what would He find?