Air Freshener

Last week I was listening to Car Talk on NPR. Car Talk is a call in show where people try to get advice on how to fix their car. Sometimes people call for some basic automotive advice as did the lady that is the subject of this post.

This lady was from the Midwest and was planning on taking her family on a roadtrip to the West. No real destinations were mentioned, but I assumed that she was talking about the Grand Canyon or some other incredible natural monument in the West. She had two real issues; the first was that five people were making the trip, the second was that she had two vehicles to choose from.

The first vehicle was a late model sedan that though low in miles was probably going to be too crowded for such a long trip with so many people. The second vehicle was a high miles mini-van which she felt would be more comfortable but might have some maintenance issues. The hosts of the show immediately asked her, "What kind of maintenance issues?" to which she responded, "well, the tires are bald, the brakes pull a bit to the left, it uses oil, it has a high speed shimmy, the windshield is cracked, the transmission slips occasionally, and it has a bit of an odd smell."

The hosts then asked, "So, what maintenance have you done on it lately?" She said, "I changed the air freshener last week."

I almost fell out of my car. I immediately thought, "what an insanely stupid person." It was not too long though before God began a review of the maintenance record of my "spiritual engine." The list persisted with items like, easily angered, selfish, boastful, uncaring, unmerciful, blaming, prideful, lustful, lazy, rude... and what have you done about it? I searched and examined, thought and pondered, but came away with the realization that I had done very little maintenance of my spiritual life, so I blurted out loud, "I read my Bible once in a while!" As soon as I said it I felt insanely stupid.

I thought, I will fix it. I will make my quiet time consistent. I will pray constantly. I will love the poor. I will forgive. I will quit getting angry. I will... and at that exact moment I heard the hosts of the show say, "Take the sedan."

I realized that the same was true for me. I was never going to salvage me enough to make the trip. My hope cannot be in spiritual maintenance, instead it must be in a new spiritual vehicle. Mine simply will not do. Now I am not saying that spiritual maintenance is a bad thing or that it is not worth it. No, not at all. Spiritual discipline is wonderful but we must understand where it falls short. It in and of itself does not make me new. Jesus makes me new, and thankfully he takes trade ins.