Flat Tired!

This past winter Evonna and I headed into Walmart to pick up a couple of things. Now the roads were slightly slick in spots but we made it safe and sound. But after I parked the van and we were in the process of getting out, a man I met twice but didn't recognize (because he had grown a totally radical beard) was getting out of his car in front of us with some other people. He came walking at me and at first to be honest with you for some stupid reason I thought maybe I was going to have to defend myself. But when he got closer he said, "Hey Pastor, you don't recognize me do you?" And as I was shaking his hand I had to tell him I was sorry but I didn't. And as soon as he told me his name I remembered meeting him before. And at that point he proceeded to ask me, "Do you know your tire is flat?" And of course I had to tell him I didn't. So I thanked him as we looked at my dangerously flat tire. As we parted ways I immediately drove the van to the Walmart service department and had it fixed.

Now I mentioned this story for 2 very important reasons.

#1. He didn't have to tell me there was something dangerously wrong with my tire but he did.
#2. I didn't really have to have it fixed. I could have just aired it up and went about my way.

You see I knew that tire had been leaking air over a period of a week or so and I almost always checked every tire to see if they were low or not before we went anywhere. But that morning I just took for granted everything was OK so I didn't even look at them. We just got in and drove at least 13 miles on a dangerously low, low, low (did I say low?) tire. And if this man had not told me something was wrong I may not have noticed and the possibility of my wife and I being hurt or even killed is totally in the equation. And all because of my neglect to check my own tires.

Now the moral of this story holds more air than it appears. (pun intended)

Tolerance or not, we have a responsibility as followers of Christ to let people know the dangers of not checking their lives in reflection to God's Word daily. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And so we need to constantly check ourselves and then stand up and IN LOVE warn others of certain destruction if they don't check themselves. The thing is they may not even know there is a problem and our informing them may save their life.

Now on the other hand, I'm flat tired of the way we debate over what's sin or not sin and the thing about some followers is, like myself and the low tire, I had the knowledge about the leak but didn't think it needed fixing. So I just aired it up once a week and wouldn't fix it.

So here we go...when God shows us through His Word or through a Sunday message or maybe even through a stranger that we have a problem it's up to us to fix it. Because if we don't it will cause us harm in the future. So my plea is if you have a doubt check it out, or just don't do it. And always take special care to FIX the problem not just keep airing it up.

You see we should always be open to the fact that maybe we aren't perfect and there's still room to improve on our walk as follower of Christ and our relationship with Christ and others.

In these troubled times it's more important than ever that we live the life God designed for us and the life His Only Son died to give us. A resurrected and abundant life that is pleasing to God and worthy of being called His followers.