A modern re-phrasing of Paul’s warning: HURRY!

You’re absent-mindedly hurtling down the freeway at a speed at least five miles over the posted limit when a warning light appears on your car’s instrument panel.

It takes a second for your mind to interpret the icon to understand what the warning is for.

Are you one of those drivers who will dismiss the warning, or make it a priority to get your car to an auto mechanic as soon as possible?

Or do you head for an auto parts store for a free diagnostic reading to tell you why the “check engine” light came on and what the real problem is? Are you one of those who will Google the problem and ponder how long you can continue driving the car before serious damage is done and you finally have to part with some of your hard-earned dollars to the skill of a certified mechanic?

There has actually been a survey conducted with Gen Zers and Millennials about their relationship with their cars and how they responded to warnings regarding the condition of their vehicle. The survey starts with this:

Six in 10 Gen Zers and millennials have a complicated relationship — with their cars. A recent survey of 1,000 Gen Z (adults typically born between 1997 and 2012) and 1,000 millennial (those born between 1981 and 1996) car owners or lessees reveals that 59 percent are not sure whether they want to continue driving or replace their current vehicle.

People stop driving their car and get a new one when the upkeep surpasses their budget (39%), there are too many strange sounds or smells (38%), too many parts have to be replaced (37%), or too much of it is being held together by tape (37%).

Okay, but how many warning lights from their car’s warning system does it take before these drivers finally arrange for car repairs?

Eight.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Kelley Blue Book Service Advisor, the survey also finds it takes an average of eight warning lights for people to schedule vehicle maintenance. Seventy-nine percent do their own research about what their vehicle needs before seeing the mechanic. Another 66 percent will look things up after their visit and return with a better sense of what their vehicle needs.

There’s a danger in waiting too long before taking your car to a competent mechanic after the check engine (or other warning lights) come on — that danger is that the early warning that something serious is mechanically wrong with your car can quickly become an even more serious, and far more costly, problem if not addressed in time.

Just because you didn’t hurry in responding to the warning.

Warnings come because danger, or the potential for it (or for calamity), is a serious threat. With a warning is a window of opportunity to make a correction and avoid something you really will not want to experience.

The Apostle Paul offers a similar kind of warning in his letter to the Christians in Rome. In a portion of the letter, Paul’s direction to these Christians is basically this: HURRY! Check it out:

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires,” Romans 13:11-14.

What’s the hurry?

“… time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here …”

Hmmm, that is serious stuff?

So what should be done?

“… So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living …”

“… Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see …”

“… Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy …”

“… Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ …”

“… And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires …”

Did you notice Paul does more than tell his readers to hurry, he provides details of the specific “repairs” as well.

A lot of time has passed since Paul penned this warning. We’re closer now to our “day of salvation” than Paul was then. So what are you going to do with this urgent message? How many warnings will it take for you to make any corrections you need to make before time runs out?

Scotty