Dude, your idiot light is on...

*This is a very short rough draft.

My dad and I went to this upholstery shop in town a couple days ago. There were several rides there that can be classified as special. This whole thing of auto restoration reminded me of something. Now that I think about it, going to the junkyard makes it pop up in my mind, too.

No matter our “make”, “model”, or “year”, we, as humans, need to constantly evaluate ourselves. We need to constantly evaluate our physical, mental, and spiritual condition. If we are little rusty or leaky in some spots, we need to (obviously) know this before any changes can be made. There are several ways that we can know about our problems and all of these warning systems have been given to us.

First, we have the Holy Spirit. Consider the Holy Spirit as the “idiot light” on your dashboard. Sometimes your car will tell you that you need your engine checked, even though everything seems fine to you. Other times you know something is different about your car but you think it’s fine. Then your idiot light comes on and tells you that the knocking sound underneath your hood is baaad. Those are the things the Holy Spirit will do. The light comes on for the most experienced driver and the first-timer as well.

Second, we have friends. Accountability is one of the most important bonds you can have with fellow Christians. Consider your accountability partner (or fellow Christians, for that matter), to be the mechanic or car nut that you turn to for questions or who’s word you trust in such matters. Someone who is going to say, “Dude that light means you need to check your brakes,”or, “That knocking sound means you need oil or else your engine is going to bite the dust.” You get the point. You need someone who is older and wiser than you in the things of the world and faith. It’s also nice to have friends who have been given the gift of mechanical aptitude, friends who know how to fix things.

Lastly, we have ourselves to check things out. We as humans can ponder our existence and condition and have the ability to adjust accordingly. We usually need help to fix the problem of course, but the very fact that we are willing to scope ourselves out and notice the things that shouldn’t be there is a step. What does this mean you have to do? Know Thyself.