The initial stages of a relationship are easy. It's kind of like buying a new car. At first it’s great. The sacrifice is worth the bliss a new car possesses. Money is an obstacle easily navigated. The hours spent washing, vacuuming, cleaning windows, Armor-All-ing the dash, and making sure the rims shine are joy. JOY!
In the beginning, we love to drive the car. In fact, reasons are invented to drive the car… to go out to get something, to visit a friend, travel 200 miles to rent that cottage for the weekend… any reason works. Friends come by to see it. A few even ask to ride in it. In the beginning, everything is bliss. BLISS!
Reality encroaches soon enough with all of its demands. Life starts to take more and more of the owner's energy. Neglect creeps in unnoticed. The car gets washed less often. Cleaned less often. Coffee gets spilled. The car sits parked and idle in the garage more and more. Eventually, the energy just isn't there to expend. Its too much... life, family, school, church, work, and the car becomes just another responsibility.
After years of subtle neglect, repairs become more frequent and more costly. Worry starts. The money is now an issue. What will break next? Worry and faith do not mix. Worry trumps faith. Worry has a knack to exaggerate and worst case scenarios become the norm. Worry erodes faith... faith that the car will start, the brakes will work, that it will be dependable and not leave you stranded on the side of the road.
The irony is, the car can be driven for a very long time. Its only demand is to be cared for. Knowledge helps. Pay attention to new noises that arise, look for puddles on the garage floor, or recognize the extra little vibration or rattle. All are signs something is amiss. If something is amiss and the owner has the knowledge to identify the issue, the car can be repaired quickly. The prompt repair almost always prevents future mechanical failures. When attention to detail is a priority, minor issues are easily corrected and major issues avoided.
If the owner suspects something is amiss and doesn’t act or procrastinates... wait for it... the problem doesn’t disappear. It gets worse until the car doesn't respond when the gas pedal is pushed or the key is turned. It’s never convenient and always an hassle when the car unexpectedly breaks down. Ignoring the problem doesn't solve anything. Hoping it will magically disappear will not change the fact the car needs your attention. Either the owner takes the initiative to fix what's wrong or the car will demand it gets what it needs.
Ignorance of how a vehicle operates isn't bliss. Ignorance will not stop the car from breaking down. The owner is just along for the ride. The owner doesn’t know an issue or problem could have been fixed much earlier, for much less money, with much less stress, and much more convenient. When a problem appears on the horizon, owners have three choices:
In the beginning, we love to drive the car. In fact, reasons are invented to drive the car… to go out to get something, to visit a friend, travel 200 miles to rent that cottage for the weekend… any reason works. Friends come by to see it. A few even ask to ride in it. In the beginning, everything is bliss. BLISS!
Reality encroaches soon enough with all of its demands. Life starts to take more and more of the owner's energy. Neglect creeps in unnoticed. The car gets washed less often. Cleaned less often. Coffee gets spilled. The car sits parked and idle in the garage more and more. Eventually, the energy just isn't there to expend. Its too much... life, family, school, church, work, and the car becomes just another responsibility.
After years of subtle neglect, repairs become more frequent and more costly. Worry starts. The money is now an issue. What will break next? Worry and faith do not mix. Worry trumps faith. Worry has a knack to exaggerate and worst case scenarios become the norm. Worry erodes faith... faith that the car will start, the brakes will work, that it will be dependable and not leave you stranded on the side of the road.
The irony is, the car can be driven for a very long time. Its only demand is to be cared for. Knowledge helps. Pay attention to new noises that arise, look for puddles on the garage floor, or recognize the extra little vibration or rattle. All are signs something is amiss. If something is amiss and the owner has the knowledge to identify the issue, the car can be repaired quickly. The prompt repair almost always prevents future mechanical failures. When attention to detail is a priority, minor issues are easily corrected and major issues avoided.
If the owner suspects something is amiss and doesn’t act or procrastinates... wait for it... the problem doesn’t disappear. It gets worse until the car doesn't respond when the gas pedal is pushed or the key is turned. It’s never convenient and always an hassle when the car unexpectedly breaks down. Ignoring the problem doesn't solve anything. Hoping it will magically disappear will not change the fact the car needs your attention. Either the owner takes the initiative to fix what's wrong or the car will demand it gets what it needs.
Ignorance of how a vehicle operates isn't bliss. Ignorance will not stop the car from breaking down. The owner is just along for the ride. The owner doesn’t know an issue or problem could have been fixed much earlier, for much less money, with much less stress, and much more convenient. When a problem appears on the horizon, owners have three choices:
- Address it.
- Procrastinate.
- Be ignorant.
The best option may be inconvenient for a short time. The best option requires effort up front. The best option educates. The best option prevents future problems or at least reduces them. The best option is to know the car’s character; know its sounds, know the way it handles, where the water pump is located, and its maintenance schedule. The best option is to pay attention to the car. The best option is to develop the discipline to consistently give a sustained effort. The best option is to address the minor issue when it's relatively easy to repair. The best option does not allow problems to fester.
Are friendships different? What about marriages? Jesus? Neglect is a derivative (comes from) of selfishness. Do not allow Jesus to drift in your life. It is uu who gets distracted, who doesn't have the time... it's us who neglects Jesus, allows our prayers to become stagnant, or parks the Bible in a drawer. As we neglect our relationships, they become less fulfilling because other interest consume our energy.
Have a good and godly day.
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