This morning I watched a smart salt/sand truck driver de-ice our hill. Instead of trying to head down the hill and spread his salt and sand behind him, he backed down the hill so the pavement under his tires was pre-treated. Otherwise he would have had a very scary ride down our hill with who knows what consequences when he got to the bottom.
Pre-treating or preparation is advantageous in a multitude of situations. One would not want to go for a plane ride if the pilot had not prepared with his checklists. One would not like to eat food prepared by someone who had not first washed their hands. If you have an artificial knee or hip you don’t want to go to the dentist without first pre-treating yourself with a strong antibiotic. Things work best when proper steps are first taken.
I have seen some very frustrated Christians who complain that they cannot seem to get their spouse interested in accepting Jesus. I wonder if they had pre-treated their quest by being the most loving, caring, supporting, sharing spouse ever. In order to sell something we have to show the advantages. Now some people will never be sold. But if they are normal (normal people want to have a great life) and they see the quality of life that comes with Jesus, the odds are in favor of their making the desired decision.
If we are wise we prepare for a career by getting the education that matches our career goals. If we are wise we prepare for our children’s college needs and also for our retirement that will come way too soon.
What do you think one needs to do to prepare for a final encounter with God that also is coming?
Written by Roger Bothwell on December 10, 2014
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