this is the sequel to the “if you give a car a tire” post written a year ago.  The reason for the sequel?  The tire drama continues.  My tire pressure light continues to come on at random and inconvenient times.  (well any time is an inconvenient time, I mean when is a good time for a flat tire?)  so most recently, my tire pressure light came on and I ignored it for awhile.  I didn’t have time to take the car in and the tires looked fine to me.  I mean perception is reality – right?

So the standoff continued.  Would I believe what I could see with my eyes or would I believe the glowing, bright orange tire pressure light on my car’s dashboard?   I didn’t want to think that anything was wrong.  That would require time and expense on my part to find and to fix the problem.  (assuming there really was a problem)

Who was right?  Turns out the tire light was right all along.  There was a nail in one of my tires and I needed to get a new one.  Which apparently makes my car very happy.  She seems to want new tires just like women love to get new shoes. Which is why I personally think her tire light comes on so often – she is hoping to get new tires, but there are times when I take her in and it is a false alarm.  I’m sure she was just thinking that her tires were so last year and that she needed to update her look.  She thinks using her tire pressure light is the surest way to get me to buy her new tires.

Well, on this particular day I gave my car a tire, but as usual that wasn’t enough for her.  She was feeling tired and wanted to be renewed, recharged so to speak. She thought this service station visit was a spa day for her.  (I’m thinking I am the one who could use a spa day right about now)  So, she didn’t just get her battery recharged  . . .  she got a brand new battery!  Her energy had been low and this was the new lease on life that she was craving.  We celebrated her newly rejuvenated self with a trip to the car wash, sparing no expense, getting her the Works Wash!

Hopefully, this will keep her happy.  But for how long?  Past experience has taught me that it is only a matter of time before her tire pressure warning light again lights up her dashboard.  So I will give my car a tire  . . .  but it won’t end there – it never does  . . .

I feel like I need to remind my car that “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.”  (or from having brand new, fancy tires)  (1 Peter 3:3)

And I need to remind myself not to ignore the warning light when it comes on.  It is there to protect me, to give me a heads up that something is not right, so that I can fix what is wrong before things get worse – before I continue further down the path without correcting the problem.  I drove for too many days with the warning light on in my car.

My conscience is the warning light my Heavenly Father has given me, to protect me and to guide me.  I need to learn not to ignore the warnings of my conscience telling me that something is not right.  Like the tire light, God’s gentle but clear warning will come before I can actually see that there is a problem.  Everything seems fine.  I have no idea what danger awaits me.  Just as I had no idea that there was a slow leak in one of my tires caused by a nail.

God knows before I do, before I can see it.  I just need to believe His warning and not my current circumstances.  Good advice.  “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”  (Hebrews 3:15)

Heavenly Father, I ignored my car’s tire light for far too long.  May I never ignore Your voice and the leading of Your Holy Spirit.

sincerely,      Grace Day