Guys and girls who love cars and motorcycles are always on the lookout for
the a great deal. I know guys who carry $10k around with them all the time in
case a deal comes along. But in reality most of us have only memories of deals
that could have been, and should have been, and would have been if only we had
the folding green to back up our desire. I have been in both situations, and it
was fun to say no to deals when I had some cash, why is it the best deals, the
ones I gotta have, if only for bragging rights alone come when I have no money?
But good deals are out there, and if you are patient you can find them, if not
you pay. The old real estate adage “you didn’t pay too much, you bought too
soon,” may only apply to collector cars, but not your daily driver. But some
cars sitting on the lot are just crying out your name, and one such one did to
me. And like being in love, you never hear the words of advice spoken to you.
The Chevy Citation made great headlines for a few years, then faded away,
more a statement about GM in the eighties based on the product. In 1981 they
came out with an X-11 sport model, HO motor with all of 140 hp, sport
suspension, and wide tires and wheels. Stickers to let the world know what you
had. Bucket seats and console, all the things a basic rental car have today but
were the hot set up back then. Listing at over $9000, they were way beyond my
price range, so we drove a Ford Escort, which was a good little car. But when
on my Coca Cola selling route, I kept going out of my way past Morehart
Chevrolet, a white X-11 kept calling me name, and I was hooked. I had to go in,
feeling safe because I had no money, which never worked when buying a
motorcycle, there are after all certain priorities, I offered a straight across,
no money changing hands deal, and they accepted it. I was the proud owner of a
sport car, with a cool sounding exhaust. And it didn’t cost me
anything....
But the sales manager told me when I was leaving, it had been in an
accident, he didn’t know how bad, but the car had been repaired. No way was I
going to let a little thing like that queer the deal, and of I drove. And it
was a good car, we drove it on trips, you could even chirp the tires with it if
you listened close enough. But the trim pieces painted black began to peel, so
I went to Chevy, and they agreed to repaint them, which made it look new again.
But one trip in parts revealed something to me about the car’s past, and my
future. A parts guy recognized the car, it was once his. Did I want to see
pictures of it? Before the wreck? Huh? The car had been his wife’s car, and
had been t-boned, and had serious body damage done to it. The insurance company
totaled it, the body shop repaired it, he bought the car from the insurance
company, then sold it at auction. It was sound, performed to spec, it just had
many hidden scars. Which were about to show. I kept the pictures, we kept the
car, and drove it for years, but somehow the love affair was over.....and one
afternoon outside Early, Texas the divorce became final.
Dean and I had been out after his high school graduation hot rodding it,
seeing how fast it would go with no Texas Rangers to check on us. And it
started making noises...but we, Christopher and I, he six at the time, so off we
went to return to our home 700 miles away. No smarter guys would have never
left town, and so when the car died we had to hitch a ride from a goat farmer.
No words can describe the odor of years of goats, even hanging my head out the
window did no good, and the car was towed to the Chevy store there. Where the
engine had spun a bearing, fixable, but outside of my price range, but they
would take the car in trade, and we worked out a deal. And we left the Chevy
behind and drove home in a two year old Thunderbird...moving on up, and no it
hadn’t been in any accidents. I asked.....
And it was a great car, and later we would trade it, tastes change. But
the Citation X-11 still holds a dear place in our hearts.
Like the Chevy, we carry a lot of scars and damage with us that no one
sees. And that we often lie to ourselves about. From skin tags to irregular
heart beats, to sore joints to sores, we put things off till later, until it is
too late. Maintenance is expensive, high deductibles, tests, and other
procedures cost time and money we don’t have. But like cars, if you think
maintenance is expensive, wait until you see the repair bill. And when it comes
to our bodies, we cannot trade them in like we can a car or bike, we must deal
with it. Doctors can deal with the physical, but what about the spiritual? Who
deals with that, do we pour out our heart to a pastor on a regular basis? Or do
we turn to God? But who do we turn to first, who knows us better? Could the
answer be me?
Paul tells us in Romans 12 to take a sober accounting of ourselves, to see
where we are in Christ. Not to commend ourselves, or make us be the standard,
but where are we in Christ? Who does our life say Jesus is? Are we walking in
the spirit, or in the shadows lurking about living a façade? Remember Moses
after seeing God wore a mask to protect the people from the glory shining from
his face. But when it faded kept the mask on, he didn’t want them to see it had
faded, he went from concern of others to all about me. Something none of us ever
encounter. Right. As Christians we know all the right things to say in church,
the right words and attitudes to portray, but when alone who are we? Character,
the trait of who you are when no one else is watching, who are we? That is what
Paul is addressing here, and we need to make a spiritual checkup regularly if
not daily. We are not to think of ourselves as better than others, but use
Jesus as the barometer. Which puts us all in the same class as sinners, but we
are saved. Does that make God love me more? I am a favorite now? Think about
the fact that while we were yet sinners Jesus died for us, he loves us all the
same. Of course our standards are different, his are everlasting.
And we are to be sober when we do this, being honest, removing the mask we
wear to cover up. Why when asked in church do we all lie when asked how we are
doing? Can we all be perfect for just one moment despite the week we just had?
Can’t we have bad days too, or has false teaching taught us we can’t or we are
in sin? If so, I am in sin a lot, and others can confirm it long before I admit
it. So be sober, honest in your appraisal, if you hurt we can tell, and God
knows for sure, are you the only one buying your own lie? Maybe if we exercise
the faith each of us has been given, look back and see how far Jesus had brought
us we can look forward with more confidence, and not lie to ourselves. He saved
us when we could not save ourselves, so why quit depending on him now? Wasn’t
it when we admitted we were lost and wretched that the spirit began to flow in
us?
If you are afraid of the doctor you may be afraid of this self test too.
For doctors are trained to find problems, to address symptoms before they become
a problem. Do you trust your walk in Christ the same, or are you more
interested in what the church thinks of me? Proverbs tells us to not listen to
a neighbors gossip, for it may be about us and we won’t like it. Do we trust
God more than the walls between our neighbors? Do we lie to him and ourselves,
do we trust the counsel of our friends more, who would never say anything to
hurt our feelings?
The parts guy who once owned the Chevy knew the truth. I had ideas,
suspicions, but only guesses. The truth shown in the pictures didn’t set me
free, nor did the blown bearing. Until I traded the car, don’t trade your
relationship with Jesus when a flaw in your life occurs. He is the great
physician, wonderful counselor, he is truth, the way, and is life, your life,
you are dead without him. And you don’t need a wad of bills to impress him, or
for help. Long before Obamacare, the world’s largest tax increase in history
took effect, Jesus was changing lives. Long before the wheel, Jesus was moving
over the earth. His spirit giving it shape and life. Just like he will do for
you.
Oil gets dirty, parts wear out. So do our bodies, and relationships.
Check yours today before you are life flighted or dismantled for recycling.
Sold for parts. Remember how you were before Jesus, thank him for how far he
has brought you. And have faith that the good work he has begun he will be
faithful to complete it. Don’t be like the clock on many of my old cars, it may
be broken, but at least twice a day it’s correct. Who inspires your life will
tell us who you are. Check yourself out before someone else does. It may be
hard, but a lot less painful. Such a deal he has for you. And it is more than
stickers. And you can keep your old doctor, but you won’t want to.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com