“So Sarai said to Abram, ‘The LORD has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.’ And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal.” – Genesis 16:2 (NLT)
A toilet in our house had developed a leak. Since my family had a home repairs book on hand, we bought the items to stop the leak and decided to tackle the job ourselves. Everything seemed easy until three hours had passed. Now, I was hot and tired. My back ached and my “girl power” spirit was sapped.
The problem was small white piece that was supposed to attach to the water pipe. I figured if we just cut the water pipe a smidge, we could get the new piece to slide on. I practically beamed as I explained my plan to my family. Call me “Ms. Fix-It”.
It took around an hour but finally, the water pipe had been cut to the right size. We slid the new piece on and anxiously flushed.
Water soaked the tile, the walls, and my sister. My solution hadn’t solved anything. In fact, it’d made a bigger mess.
Sarai could probably relate. God had already promised her husband a child but Sarai had a “Ms. Fix-It” moment. She told her husband to sleep with her servant. If their union resulted in pregnancy, then Sarai would take the child as her own. It was an old school method of surrogacy.
But Sarai’s ‘fix’ cost her more than it helped. It caused tension in her marriage, tension with her servant, and ultimately, tension between nations.
As women, we’re often tempted to play “Ms. Fix-It” in our lives and the lives of others. Maybe you smoothed over an argument between your co-workers by stretching the truth just a tad.
Maybe you thought if you could just change your husband’s annoying habit, he would be a better person. Maybe you let something “slip” about the head of the church nursery in the hopes of getting her removed from her position.
The problem isn’t our desire to change things for the better or spare someone’s feelings. The problem comes when we go about it the wrong way.
Sure, you can cut the water line but you can also take a moment to pray for wisdom and seek godly counsel. If I’d only take a moment to make a quick call to a family friend, my water disaster could have been avoided.
So, now instead of “Ms. Fix-It”, call me “Ms. Prayed-About-It”.
Dear God, Sometimes, I get it wrong. I choose to respond to a situation in my wisdom and mess things up. I ask for forgiveness. Please help me to pause and seek You before responding to the people and events around me. Thank You for Your extravagant grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
