1 of 58

Write now Article Tools

Proverbs 4:18-27 is an inspiring passage of Scripture, which speaks directly to many of today's lifestyle issues, particularly verse 23. It reads this way in the New Living Translation: "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do."

When I was young and single I could never get a vehicle to last me more than a year. My first car was a 1973 Toyota Corolla. Within a few months the back end was dented in and the transmission only had one forward gear. So I bought a 1975 Corolla; a year later it was in pretty rough shape too. The driver's door got torn off and the clutch pedal no longer worked. Then I acquired a green 1971 Dodge pickup, but it was not long before I had to replace the driver's door with an orange one. The engine quickly deteriorated, and then one day the steering fell apart. And so it went through several more vehicles.

There were three main reasons for the lack of longevity in my vehicles. Number one: I settled for old, cheap vehicles, usually in the four- to six-hundred- dollar range. These usually are not the highest in quality. But the previous mileage and ownership were not the primary reason my vehicles did not last.

The second reason for the short life of my vehicles was that I did not maintain them properly. I never bothered to change oil. That requires money, and my budget was limited. Also, I added used oil if my relic tended to leak or burn oil. Moreover, I never used a grease gun. They require too much time and work. Besides that, they tend to cause a person to get fairly dirty.

Then there was a third problem. Besides buying old wrecks and not maintaining them, I drove them "like I owned them" so to speak. I was the neighborhood nightmare on wheels. I drove fast, and I would often drive my vehicles over terrain that they were never designed to handle. Because of my reckless driving habits, I would sometimes find my vehicle parting company with the road and exploring the neighboring ditch. Rocks, trees, fences, and sloughs tend to frequent these ditches, all of which are not particularly good for a vehicle, especially at those high speeds.

Now, it is pretty obvious that if a person buys junky vehicles, neglects to care for them, and then abuses them the way I did, the vehicles will not last. So what has this to do with anything spiritual? Well, I would submit to you that many people have problems in their Christian experience similar to my vehicle problems during my teenage years; their hearts are not renewed, poorly

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Christianity and today's lifestyles?
We want to hear your view. Write now!