Fermentation and Specific gravity

I am brewing a lager for the first time using the Cooper's DIY beer kit. It is now day 6 and the directions said to check the specific gravity of the beer (the original gravity was 1.038), and when we checked it today it originally said 1.014. Then after about 20 minutes it had risen back up to 1.038. When we took the original gravity on day 1, I don't think we waited to see if it changed over time. Is the SG supposed to change like that? We're supposed to wait until the SG is constant over 2 days to bottle it, but we're not even sure which reading to use, and whether our OG reading was even correct.

Any suggestions/insight would be greatly appreciated.

temperature changes specific gravity, Lagering is a particularly cold process so this could possibly cause that discrepancy. Just seal it up and leave it for 2 weeks and don't touch it. After that open it up and measure again. Sometimes its better to not follow the directions and just give the beer/yeast a chance to do its thing

If you are lagering you are no where near ready to bottle. Lagering would be that now after your week of ferment you then rack to a secondary and lower temps slowly even further for 4more weeks. I'd guess you had a ferment and are ready for racking and lagering temps. If you are really at 1.038 then you do have a prob.