As a young gearhead, and knowing absolutely nothing more than my friends
who seemingly knew even less, the first time someone told me about Bondo, I was
impressed. I had recently discovered it in the left rear quarter of my Dad’s
BMW, body filler the shop called it, too polite or honest to call it what it
was. But the smooth fender contours were restored and no one knew unless they
opened the trunk, and it had been hastily touched up, so who cares, right? But
my first hands on experience, pun intended, was when a friend was replacing the
front end on another friend’s 1962 Corvette that had stopped slower than the car
he was tail gating. With no skills in fiberglass, he was filling in any gaps
and spaces with Bondo as I watched, not wanting to get my pretty boy hands
dirty. Nor be blamed later as I saw the job progressing. I did help with the
sanding, and watched as the car was then painted in the old stand alone one car
garage, the colors at night under the trouble light looked pretty good. At
least to me, at least in the dark. But going by after school the next day, I
had done better finger painting than the paint job on the car. It seems the
color had an outstanding effect on the car as everywhere the Bondo had been
applied stood out. It had actually looked better before the paint, my first
real experience with Bondo, prepping for paint and its importance, and why you
don’t let just anyone fix the body of your Corvette.
Now in our town Corvettes were a rarity, and I often saw this car, and felt
sorry for it, maybe more than its owner. But over the next few years, when I
would see it around town, I noticed the paint cracking where the Bondo had been
applied, seems the Bondo had this wonderful ability to shrink, causing the paint
to crack, and the imperfections observed. No Corvette in my mind deserved this
treatment, but as the years went by and being involved in the auto industry, I
saw more Bondo than I thought possible. It seems that you can either fix it
right,which takes time and money, or for less time and less money, Bondo the
bodywork, a sure way around doing it the right way, and avoiding a quality
repair. Why spend the money you don’t have to do it right when you can Bondo
it? In both cases, fixed but not repaired, hiding the wound and leaving the
scar. Something no one else we knew would ever do.....
Over the years in visiting body shops, I have seen Bondo in fenders, doors,
hoods, trunks, and even some creative types using it for custom bodywork. I
once saw door slammed on an old Mustang, and the whole right hand door fell
apart, it was Bondoed. I have also seen it quickly painted over and a customer
drive off thinking he had a quality job until the next day, then oops. Or one
accident where after the car was towed, two men sweeping up the Bondo left
behind. It seems if there is a cheaper way to fix something, someone will find
it. And since its invention in 1955, filling in the cracks and hiding the
damage has never been easier, or less effective.
It seems everyone wants an easier fix, cheap and effective and fast. Gotta
hurry up and wait somewhere else. So it is with Christians and their prayer
life. Ask now and expect God to drop everything and give in to your demands.
Take the easy way out, even with God, and you pay the consequences. Prayer like
that is like taking your own food into the diner, telling the cook how to cook
it and demanding he do it now. Or telling the mechanic how to fix your ride.
Or telling the doctor your diagnosis, and assisting in the operation. Stupid
hurts, by design, yet too many times we pray for a Bondo repair when God has the
right plan. There is a big difference between being sorry and being remorseful,
sorry you got busted or sorry you hurt someone, big difference. Forgiveness is
not putting Bondo on your sin, and covering the damage, forgiveness is
repenting, the acknowledgment of your sin, and asking Jesus to intervene, and
then letting go and letting him deal with it. No quickie Nirvana, no Earl
Scheib $39.95 paint job will cover the real damage done. Only Jesus can forgive
and replace the damage. But sometimes it takes time....
How many nights have you not slept worrying or not listening to God after
opening up your heart? Not waiting for him, but wanting it all now. And not
sleeping and paying the price the next day. Prayers like Bondo, that crack in
the light and the damage exposed, because we didn’t let God handle it. Jesus
tells us to take his yoke for it is easy, a yoke being around the neck of the
weaker ox so the stronger one could lead. The Jews refer to the law as the yoke,
so taking Jesus’s law of love, and applying it, letting him as the stronger one
lead you, it somehow all makes sense, and it works. So Jesus invites us to take
the best way, not the easiest, or quickest, but his way, for he is the way. Now
if some of us would only get out of the way.... and let Jesus be Jesus.
When we take Jesus’ yoke we become harnessed with him, and as the great
shepherd, whose job is to protect his flock, he can lead us by the still waters,
through the valley of the shadow of death, and into his fullness. No
denominational, no theology full of holes, no spiritual Bondo will ever replace
Jesus. Like we used to tell our impatient customers, “do you want it now or do
you want it done right?” You can microwave a steak, but grilling it takes a
bit longer and reveals the flavor within. Bedside manner is a poor substitute
for doing it right the first time. We say we trust Jesus, but do your responses
to his answers bear that out? Could it be you are serving a Bondo god, who has
can cover up your sin, but not eradicate it? Or forgive it? Are you willing to
take the yoke of Jesus? Or do you need your car for a big date tomorrow? Are
you just trying to impress a crowd with your words or be impressed by Jesus and
his action in your life?
Bondo may be only 65 years old, but Bondo theology is nothing new. Jesus
told us the spirit of anti-Christ was already here, the instead of Jesus
religion. Patience is the fourth fruit of the spirit named, built on love, joy,
and peace. If sin is chipping away and your Bondo theology revealed, Jesus will
still save you, if you repent. He is patient when we aren’t, and that yoke is
still easy. Wherever you are right now you can be forgiven, just call out to
him. Sadly the world is filled with cheap body shops and cheap churches,
theology with many holes in it, you get what you pay for. No matter the price
of your soul, Jesus covered it. Instead of Master Card, let the the Master take
Charge. Bondo may cover the damage, it cannot repair the heart. The cracks of
sin are already showing, we can see them, and God does. Now are you willing to
admit them and repent?
Bondo theology, not what Jesus died for. Don’t you die with it.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com