Mike’s Musings …
You Gotta Check the Oil!
I don’t drive my wife’s car often. It’s hers. Inside it is her stuff. The seat suits her. The radio is tuned to her tunes. The stash of stuff is where she wants it. I leave it alone! Only occasionally will she ask me to check the tire pressure (the light indicates a low tire) or tell me, “It’s making a funny noise.” I just don’t drive it and therefore don’t check it out, except when necessary. I guess I’m going to have to change that habit as the other day I had to take it to have a tire changed (a hole in the sidewall – remember, I don’t drive it!). I noticed when I started it, that an odd noise came from the engine, but Nancy hollered at me, “Just drive it.” (She doesn’t like me criticizing her car! It’s hers!)
Well, being the wonderful husband I am, I left the dealership and went to fill her gas tank (it was nearly empty!) While there, I thought it wise to check the oil level. I bought a couple of quarts just in case, and sure enough, it needed them … both of them. I checked the level again and had to add two more quarts! No wonder the engine “sounded odd.” After adding a gallon of oil, the noise was silenced, and it ran better!
Not so different is our soul from an engine. You gotta check the level of the word of God dwelling in you richly in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16). If that level gets low, you begin to make sounds you ought not be uttering! You can’t speak sound doctrine (Titus 2:1). You won’t have the energy to carry your own loads, let alone help with the loads of others (Galatians 6:1 – 5). Worse, the longer you go without checking the level of God’s word in your soul, the greater the irreparable damage to your soul (Hebrews 11:6).
Oh, it’s still Nancy’s car. But being the head of the house, it’s my responsibility to care for such things. “But it’s her soul, not yours,” you say. True! But just as we are to build up one another in the most holy faith (Jude 20), I need to help her as she helps me … and we help all others in the faith as they help us! So, let’s help “check the oil” in one another. Muse on how beneficial that is spiritually! We can’t afford to replace engines that ran too low on the lubricant needed for proper operation!