How To's

This world seems quite full of great ideas and “how to’s”

I did a little research... by hitting the “random” button on Wikihow.com, and these are the first 12 “how to’s” I came across.

HOW TO

Redeem a Seemingly Irredeemable Villain in Fiction

Deal With a Crush

Recycle

Improve Night Visibility of a Motorcycle, Bicycle or Boat

Color Your Hair Without Using Hair Dye

Buy Cheap Video Games

Brighten Up a Dark Video

Understand Horse Communication

Be Confident With Your Appearance

Deter a Mugger

Dress Like Lilly From Hannah Montana

Have an Indoor Yard Sale

Some of these are really good ideas! Wouldn’t you like to know how to deter a mugger? Or how to be confident with your appearance? Or dress like Lilly from Hannah Montana?!?!? (well, i wouldn't but whatever floats YOUR boat...=))

These may be helpful, but are any of them of eternal or even earthly importance? At the end of your life will it really matter if you colored your hair without using hair dye? Will people remember you as the lady or man who just. knew. how. to deal with a crush?  

True, there’s a slim chance you might become famous for redeeming a seemingly irredeemable villain in fiction.

Also true, indoor yard sales CAN be used for good, like to benefit non-profit organizations.

But what about how to’s that have a truly lasting impact? Eternal value?

How about

HOW TO

Live Forever

Save A Life For Eternity

Encourage A Breaking Heart

Learn to Love

Be Joyful in Bad Times

What about these lasting things?

Can you find their answers on Wikihow? Uhm, I couldn’t. At least I couldn’t find answers that worked.

Wiki tries, but still doesn’t have it right.

According to wiki’s article “How to Be Remembered After You Die”

Step 1 is to Get Published

Step 2, Become A Politician

Step 3, Invent

Step 4, Excel

Step 5, Start Something (like a club, organization or religion)

Step 6, Gift Something (scholarship or donation)

It is possible you’ll be remembered if you happen to do extremely well in one of these areas. If you do do really well,  it’s also possible that bored 6th graders will end up reading a half of a paragraph about your “life accomplishments” in a huge textbook, 60 years from now. Some child might even write a report on you! Sounds impressive, right?! So let’s get going!

Oh, not impressed? me neither.

Well what If I told you there’s a book full of how to’s that last AND are remembered with the greatest appreciation and affection?

THERE IS!

It’s the Bible.

In the Bible you’ll find how to 

Be Kind

Be Forgiving

Be Compassionate

Be Loving

Share

Comfort

Encourage

If you do these things, your life will not go unremembered. Not only by the lives you touch, by God Himself as well!  God doesn’t forget any good things His children do. In fact you can be sure that God blesses a thousand generations of the people who honor Him and keep His commands (Exodus 20)

Wiki also tries to help us with how to Learn to Love

1. Buy a Pet
2. Call an old friend
3. Volunteer
4. Smile

These are all great things, but I’m of the opinion that these are actions that will come from someone who already knows how to love, not teach someone how to love. 

I know you're probably expecting me to turn things back to the Bible... well, you're right!

The Bible has the root answer on how to love. =)

‘Do not look out for your own interests, but for the interests of others’ Humble yourself, and God will exalt you! (Philippians 2) When you learn to obey God and forget yourself, then you will be able to demonstrate true love whether you take care of a pet, call an old friend, volunteer or smile... Because you won’t be doing these things in your own strength, for your own benefit. You will be honoring God and blessing others. In turn you'll be blessed yourself.

People keep looking to the wrong sources to find the How To’s to life, when the best source is God’s Word the Holy Bible.

The Message translation of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

For real insight on “how to” really matter,

Read the Bible!