Care labels are on most garments. Whether it’s cotton or silk. Gasoline engines or diesel motors there are instructions on how to care for the things we own. Even phones have tutorials so we know how to interface with the technology that the phone provides.

But who has the manual for relationships, fulfillment of dreams? Where do we find the instructions for attaining goals and using our gifts and interests?

Where do we find the tutorial for interfacing with all the ability that God has hardwired into us?

The care label for humanity is The Bible. ‘In the beginning was the Word and the Word...was God.’ Jn. 1:1. The words in the Bible are God’s caring words to you.

Your care label will give you the most important instruction you will know. It will first tell you how to have a relationship with God Himself. Yes. The Bible is a tutorial on God. The Manual will explain how to have a relationship with your creator.

Why? Because relationships are complicated. Whether your relationship is with God, a friend, a child, a spouse, a president, or a clerk at a store. Relationships beyond a simple hello can be complicated. But God gave us the care label. Because He cares about us, He has ‘kind intentions’ and helps us to know, He wants us to know Him.

How does that help us today? It helps us in that, if we know how God builds relationship with us, we will follow the manual and have success.

Now the simplified version of the manual starts like this: Step 1 “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:14-15‬ ‭

Step 2 ‘Do nothing out of selfishness or empty conceit...or self interest.’ Phps. 2:3,4

Step 3 Trust in the Lord and not in your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

If this seems incorrect, could it be that you never really read the care label? Could it be you read the manual but never really tried it?

Silk blouses will be ruined in the washing machine and gas engines will not run on diesel fuel. People will never live to their fullest in joy and peace until they read the care label that God has blessed us with.

This Christmas start in the Gospel of Luke. Step 2 Gospel of John. Step 3 continue through until you know the wonders of great relationship. Pray.