Have you seen the following sign at an auto repair garage? "Additional charges: $25.00 for watching us fix it; $50.00 if you worked on it before you brought it it." Some of us just can't help ourselves. We think we're mechanics when we're not. We're fixers who go into problem-solving mode as if everything depended on us. We're not alone. Two of my favorite Bible personalities, the Apostle Peter and Martha, Mary's sister, were fixers who jumped in to "do something about it" when Jesus wanted them to wait patiently for His expert and superior solutions. Peter thought he was supposed to know what to do and started babbling suggestions when Jesus transfigured on the Mount with two old friends. At one point, Peter was so sure of himself he corrected Jesus and was dubbed "Satan" as a result. Martha impatiently tried to fix a problem by tattling on her sister when, if she had pulled up a rug next to Mary and listened to Jesus, she may have discovered a seven course kosher spread, hot and ready to serve, in the kitchen after Bible study. As it was, her fussing and fuming left her out of the loop, isolated in her frustration and hurt pride.
Fixers lack patience with both problems and waiting. We want to fix the problem quickly and move on when God calls us to know Him and wait for His guidance. Another problem with fixers is preyers: people who go to fixers to handle their emergencies or who do nothing at all because the fixer in their lives will do it all. The fixer, fueled by pride, sweeps in to the rescue to solve the problem and save the day. Sadly, we create quite a mess for ourselves and others by misleading them to think we can fix anything. Eventually we quit because we're burned out, sick and exhausted, or we turn mean because people expect our fix-it shops to be open every time they have a problem. We fixers have the real problem: we think we can fix things we can't fix. Maybe if God charged us extra for trying to fix a problem before bringing it to Him we'd give up this dangerous illusion.
You alone are God. Help us realize how far that truth reaches into our lives. Forgive us for the terrible habit of doing what we can first then leaving the rest or the mess we create to You. You're not our clean-up crew - You're the CEO of our lives. We have no business pretending to know better than You for our own lives but especially for the lives of others. Help us sit in Your Presence and soak up Your guidance and counsel. Help us choose "the one thing needed" as Mary did. Help us let You be You as we follow Your lead in all things.
In the name of Jesus who followed You both into and away from needy crowds
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8
"'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'"
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body." Philippians 3:20-21
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