Tip of My Iceberg

I don’t claim to know much about cars.

They’re wonderful modes of transportation to get me where I want to go. I’m a good driver (don’t listen to my husband). And I don’t shake and quake at filling my gas tank. I’ll wash my car when it’s dirty–or drive it through the carwash. And I’ll be responsible for making sure the car has it’s check-up when the little tag on the front window says it’s time.

My husband will take it in.

I have no appreciation for the little lights and gauges that randomly twinkle on the dashboard. Most make no sense. They don’t really look like what they’re supposed to represent.

My tendency is to ignore them.

Not a good idea.

My daughter was driving my car not too long ago and mentioned that this little light was on in the car. I kind of remembered it, but I didn’t think it was a big deal.

She told John. Who took a look at the car. Something to do with the tire pressure that wasn’t quite right. Or appeared to be not right. Being a man, he’s concerned about all lights, so he got it checked, got the tires filled properly at whatever place they do those things, and the light was still on.

Not a problem. He’d been told by a mechanic that the little light was touchy. It could pop on even if the tire pressure was fine.

The lights lie.

A good friend of mine just gave a talk relating to this concept. How our internal gauges reflect how we’re doing, how they make us aware of where we are mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Do those gauges lie as well?

I know what my heart needs are. If I don’t take care of my emotional health as well as physical health, I experience a lack of energy and lose perspective in most areas of life. I need to move when I’m feeling sluggish. Eat better when I’ve been living on coffee and junk food. Enough sleep to refresh myself when my schedule is busy. Opportunity to invest in my intellectual growth by not defaulting to mindless screen time but reading books that will contribute to who I’m becoming.

I also need to be growing spiritually.

We can mask our spiritual gauge with worldly how to’s and deal with our loneliness, despair, and frustration. We’re not merely emotive, physical beings who require food, shelter, and clothing. We’re created for healthy interaction with others, to better understand ourselves and to connect with the One who made us.

I know my limitations. I’m restricted by what I know and physical energy. But I’m cognizant of how vast the universe is and yet how detailed and complicated our lives and world are.

Beyond what we can do.

My heart yearns for Someone who is stronger, purer, better than any person I know or could be. Not as a crutch, but as the real hope of value and lasting significance in an unfair and broken world.

That gauge in my heart?

It reminds me that my relationship with God is foundational to all that I am.

It doesn’t lie.