A couple of years ago, on a trip to Landsdowne, VA, two different lights on the rental car dashboard flashed at different times. The first one looked completely foreign to me, and since there was no driver's manual in the glove compartment, I just ignored it and drove on. (I was relieved to find out that it was merely letting me know it needed an oil change!) Ignorance was bliss.
Later on, another light came on and even beeped at me warning that I was low on fuel. Since I knew what this warning light meant, I pulled over at the nearest gas station and filled up. In this case, knowledge was a blessing! But what if I had been ignorant about this light, too, and ignored it? It's important to know what the lights on our dashboards mean. Ignoring the wrong light could mean trouble.
All too often the ligts on the dashboard of my life are vying for my attention while I enjoy the blissful ignorance of my cruise control Christian life. The Spirit is trying to tell me that "something's wrong under the hood" as I'm on my journey to seek the face of God. But unless I prayerfully spend time in God's Word, reflecting on my heart in light of Jesus' glory and grace, I won't know what the warning lights are or what they mean.
Some of the lights on my dashboard include:
- Acquisitions
- Appetite
- Anxiety
- Anger
- Approval
- Acceptance
- Apathy
- Attention
In future posts, we'll consider how each of these warning signals may help us take a look under the hood and lead us to repent and believe the Good News afresh, resulting in greater love for God and love for others. I want a cruciform, not cruise control, life.
[I am grateful to the late Dave Busby for the "lights on the dashboard" metaphor. I believe he used it in his "Heart of the Matter" talks and book.]
