My first car was a dingy white 1979 Honda Civic, and to me at the age of 16, it couldn’t have been a more beautiful piece of machinery. With a rebuilt motor that roared a whopping 60 horsepower and stretched every one of my hard earned dollars to 50 mpg, I coasted from place to place at a governor set top speed of 55 mph before the whole vehicle would begin to vibrate violently. I took care of it: changed the oil every 3,000, rotated the tires, washed it probably every week, and reupholstered the seats and carpet. So what if it was so small I had to sit in the back seat to drive it! The other high school students used to whistle the famous circus clown car theme song as I pulled into my parking spot. 

I paid $800 for that car and it was MINE. I was blessed to have owned that car for a number of years and never have it fail me. Not once did I have to cringe at the sight of the blinking “check engine” light. My mom used to call it the “idiot light” because one would have to be pretty dumb not to notice it. But even if I did experience a moment in which my diamond in the rough had a mechanical hiccup, that light would have indicated it was time for me to take it to a specialist.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a “check engine” light for our daily life? If we ate an excess of junk food, raised our voice in anger at a friend, family member or even a stranger, if we repeated a racist joke, if we used foul language, if we clicked our computer mouse on an inappropriate website, if we participated in unhealthy activities, if we took too much pride in ourselves – DING! On it would flicker and blink vehemently telling us to have a “look-see” under our hood. 

So what’s our excuse? Are we really that well oiled to think our light isn’t flashing? When we first come into this world we are like a new car: fresh paint, a smooth running engine, and can roar off the starting line. However, over time we can lose our edge, become sluggish, and grind gears. We need a tune-up. You take a vehicle to a specialized technician, but whom do you see when you need help?  For some it can be a trusted family member, a teacher, a youth pastor, or a counselor. It is important to have mentors to help guide us and keep us accountable. I don’t mean celebrities and superstars; I mean mature people from whom you seek wisdom.

Tik Toks, Reels and other social media outlets won’t help you. They want your “likes,” but they won’t really like you back– not in a way which is beneficial to you. Even peer groups can be damaging when they just follow the  crowd and engage in negative thoughts and behavior.

To know a watch’s value, you would go to the watchsmith. Where do you go to find your value? Slow down and read your manual– Your check engine light just might be blinking.