I enjoy knitting, and although I’m not the world’s best — I’m certainly not the world’s worst! One evening while I was knitting an afgan, a very interesting allegory popped into my head. Our walk in the Truth is very much like knitting an item. Think about it. First you have to want to learn about the process, then you have to be taught, and then you practice, using what you’ve learned, allowing progress to ensue. As you practice in the beginning with easier projects, (the milk of the Word) progress is made and you advance to more difficult projects (meat of the Word).
In order to reach a finished and perfect end, it’s important to start with the following: 1) a good instruction booklet (the Bible), 2) A desired pattern piece to compare to (Jesus Christ), and 3) needles and yarn (faith and works . . . can’t have one without the other). Please note: your hands should be cleansed (baptism) and the yarn also unsoiled (else your finished piece will be soiled).
And so you begin your project both with determination and eagerness. Refering to your instruction booklet (Bible) you proceed. Knit 1, Pearl 2, Knit 1, Pearl 2 . . . (life’s routines). Progress is made and all is well and then you notice a flaw (sin) in your pattern (either by your own doing, or an outside influence).
Earnest to have an excellent piece you refer back to the instruction booklet (Bible) and rip out mistake (repenting and purging out the leaven). No matter how hard you work, and how careful you are, more mistakes (sins) are bound to show up (for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God). If you can’t seem to hurdle these faults, it’s comforting to know that you can ask the advice for correction from a fellow-knitter, who is perhaps more experienced (a brother or sister). This advice combined with the instruction booklet (Bible), is really all the help you need. Don’t forget a certain amount of positive thinking and confidence (earnest prayer).
There may be times when you lose interest in the piece you are working on and let it lay dormant (faith without works is dead). All one needs to do is view the desired pattern piece (Jesus Christ) and renewed determination to continue until you are finished, sets in (he who endures to the end, shall be saved).
And once you have completed your project (your walk) and it’s the best job you could do, quite often a family member offers you a compliment (well done, thou good and faithful servant) and it is then you see it was worth the time, effort and perseverance.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One