I was told to “be careful,” and I was to find out the hard way why we do
things the way we do. I was a new service advisor for Mercedes Benz, and was
told when writing up the car, to walk it, walk around it and note any damage,
then have customer sign off on them, lest we get blamed. A simple yet annoying
task, but it only became important when we didn’t do it, leaving us open to
suggestion and suspicion of how their precious car got damaged. Over the years
I would see an S class with the right front driver’s door dented and with paint
peeling, wheel covers missing-remember them, and other damage, many times
unknown to the owner. Why? We all get out on the left and never walk our own
cars. I got many questionable and honest appraisals from owners when pointing
out damage. “When did that happen, it must be new? I don’t remember doing
that,” as the rust forming in the bare medal is revealed. It just didn’t happen
yesterday. With two cases that stick out in my experience, among many
others.
A rather air headed woman walked the car with me one day. Getting to the
right front door, it was dinged, paint scraped off, and had been hit many
times. When I pointed this out to here, she admitted she hated the car, it was
her husbands and she didn’t like the color, was embarrassed to be seen in it.
So every chance she got, she slammed the door into something, with noticeable
paint markings from her garage. When I asked her what does your husband say?”
she looked at me in astonishment. “Nothing, he never sits on that side, he
never sees it.” Seems after pulling in his garage, he hits the button, shuts
the door and goes in the house. “You mean he never said anything?” And I
wasn’t going to be the one who would tell him....
Another woman in her 560SL was in a hurry, and just signed the papers and
left for breakfast with a friend. I had walked the car, her precious baby, as
she put it, and I had been warned she was a pain in the #$%^&*(. Which
became evident when she picked it up, immediately walking to a spot on the car,
and pointing out the damage that we had done to her precious baby. She was
going to sue, we would paint her entire car, and then she was confronted with
the truth. I had walked the car in front of her, and she had signed off on it.
Then she got really desperate, claiming I forged her signature, she had been
rushed, and it was our fault, as the accusations continued. But with paper in
hand, she finally relented, paying her bill and promising to never come back.
If only we could hold her to it....
And of course my favorite, the one where white paint shows up on bumpers,
fenders, and doors. That we had to have done, even though we painted all
barriers orange, and had padding around wall areas when doors were opened.
Funny how when confronted with the truth, some will admit defeat and repent,
while others lie after lie to cover their sin. Of course, this only happens to
cars, right?
Fortunately in our sin, God never plots revenge. When Jesus was crucified
and the veil in the temple rent, or torn in two, it began a new era for man and
his relationship with God. No longer was there anything, any sin that couldn’t
be dealt with, as now the temple of God’s heart was open to all. It provided a
way for all those who sin, everybody, to come back to God via Jesus Christ, and
be forgiven and saved. A simple task, yet a powerful message on reuniting
sinners with the creator via the sinless one, Jesus. The fine is paid, the cell
door open, and all can enter now via Jesus Christ. The hateful, cruel, mean,
and even the empty headed who gathered around Jesus taunting him on the cross,
now had a way back. Hopeless, helpless, and afraid, the door was now open, and
the invite made.
In Acts we find a number of priests who were against Jesus now being saved,
the same ones who accused him of not being able to save himself, were now being
saved. Jesus had left the door open for them....As he did for the soldiers who
had taken his clothes, even to the one who thrust his spear into Jesus’ side.
He promised a bigger reward than the few dollars they got for his clothes, “go
tell the centurion there is a closer way to my heart than thrusting a spear into
it.” Man of us weren’t there that day, but are still guilty of the same sins
today. And the way is still open via Jesus and his victory at the cross.
Sadly in our own gospel today, we make rules for others’ forgiveness,
forgetting that God sees all sin as sin. One religion going as far as naming
seven deadly sins, while some seek an out “at least I never killed anyone.” But
God forgives all sin, past, present,and future when we come to him. Our hearts
will change, we will still sin, but now its affection us will be different, as
we see sin for what it is. Only when we see Jesus for who he is. Sin will
always be sin, but Jesus will always have the ability to forgive, if you let
him. Yet some choose to live their lives never walking with Jesus, and never
see the damage that is there, and when they do blame others. Pride, it is never
their fault, their ultimate downfall. Two thieves on the crosses next to Jesus,
one confessed his sin and confessed Jesus, the other denied him altogether. One
closer to hell than he would ever get, the other closer to heaven than he would
ever get. We are all damaged goods and need forgiveness. Take a walk around
your life today with Jesus, acknowledge the flaws, ask forgiveness, and get on
with life in him. Too many never see the other side of the veil, they only see
the hole where it was rent. And never go through. Take that step in Christ
today and see what is on the other side. Life and life abundantly. Leave the
flaws and bodywork behind, be restored in him, and if someone wants to walk your
life, show them how Jesus changed it. A few scars may remain to prove he was
there, invite them in to hear the good news. To many there is a side of their
car they never see, don’t be guilty of the same mistake with God. The door is
open, the fee is paid. A custom body shop awaits your arrival.....he who knew
no sin became the remedy for all. Can the paint on your car say the same?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com