“Check Engine”
Not too long ago I had an experience with my car that continues to speak to me. As I usually do after work, I stopped to pick up my godson from school and the car wouldn’t start. I popped the hood as if I knew what to do or even what I was looking for. Seeing me looking under the hood, what-seemed-to-be-a-passerby-really-a-church-member that I knew, gave me a jump and the car started right up. Talk about being in the right place at the right time huh?
Anyway, I left there and stopped at a nearby auto shop to check the battery and such. I was told that everything was in working order. The battery, alternator and starter were all working properly. Truly this was a mystery that I couldn’t figure out.
My car continued running with no problem until one morning when I stopped to get gas. I turned the car off to pump my gas and when I tried to turn it back on, again, it wouldn’t crank. Again, I got a jump from a really nice young man who worked at the gas station. I called my boss to say I’d be late and then made a b-line to the dealership.
Interestingly enough, when the battery was checked this time, it had very little power. As a matter of fact, the mechanic said, “I’m surprised you were able to drive it here.” In disbelief, I just assumed that the first auto shop was incorrect in their initial assessment.
It was a quick fix. I paid for the new battery and got in my car to head to work. However, when I turned the car on and looked at the panel, the check engine light was on. Thinking that this was a mistake and that someone had forgotten to turn off a sensor, I relinquished my keys once more to the mechanic who took the car back to the shop only to find a more interesting problem.
It seemed that some sort of rodent had eaten through several wires under the hood. There was evidence to all sorts of debris and a nest! I never would have guessed that in a million years. Here I was driving all over the city, in and out of town and something was messing up my car’s very vital connections causing the battery to be drained of power thus rendering the car motionless. I couldn't leave the shop without this being taken care of.
So here I am driving, thinking about life and how much money I’d just spent when my almost-pity- party turned introspective. "What was happening under my hood," I asked myself. Underneath the shell, was anything eating through my connections? Was I unknowingly separated, disconnected, operating without full power, and then getting “jumps” from kind others when I was no longer moving? Was this occurrence with my car a revelation of a larger issue?
Friends, I believe so. Without paying attention, I'd slipped into operating and functioning even in my relationship with God. I was so busy doing the "work" that things, critters, rodents if you will had slipped in and disconnected my wires. Every once in awhile I'd get a boost from praise and worship or a relevant sermon. But, life was beating the you know what out of me and as much as I was leading others into the presence of God and receiving revelation for them, I, myself was standing still. How'd I miss all of that? There had to be signs somewhere along the way... all of which I missed or ignored.
Seems I missed the signs doing the work being functionally faithful. I was faithful to all of my many functions. Momma, friend, daughter, Instructional Specialist, Professor, Consultant, Minister, Minstrel, Psalmist, Superintendent...many were blessed but I was exhausted, unclear and without power. What does that look like? Anxiety, fear, depression, irrationality, lack of sleep, irritability, frustration.
Is your check engine light on? If it is, don't ignore the signs. Pay close attention so that you can be all that you are called to be.
