A Well-Oiled Machine

I knew not to expect to get a car on my 16Th birthday. My dad let me know months ahead of time that although my friends were getting new cars, that wasn't going to happen for me. We simply did not have the money for such luxury.

But somehow, he found a way. It wasn't a new car. Far from it. It was 35 years old, in fact. But it was the coolest car our family had ever had: a 1966 Ford Mustang with a 351 Windsor engine. I was thrilled to get it.

Soon i was driving all over southwest Georgia, gleaming with pride every time i had the chance to show my car off to someone new. I got to know that car like the back of my hand, and I did my very best to take good care of it.

One of the things I had to do on a regular basis was make sure it had plenty of oil. I wasn't really sure why it needed so much oil, but I did my best to keep up with it.

After a while, though, the newness of having this great car began to wear off. Slowly, I began to pay less attention to its needs. Yet, I was still depending on it to take me to places i need to go.

One sweltering hot summer day my neglect came back to hurt me. It had been long since I checked the oil that was there was scarcely a drop of it in the engine. My beautiful Mustang completely overheated and the engine was ruined. All because i didn't understand the importance of oil.

I learned right away why oil is so important. It's a lubricant, meaning it helps the engine run smoothly and cuts down natural friction. If only i had learned that a little sooner!

As you and I go through life, our relationships are like the engine of a car. Sometimes there is natural friction. In fact, often people we love most are the people who can cause the most friction.

Kindness is the oil, or the lubricant, of our relationships. Acts of kindness help smooth out possible friction. Kind words cool down heated arguments.

As we become more like Christ, His Spirit gives to us the power to be kind in the midst of conflict. If we remember that, our relationships will run like a well-oiled machine.

PRAYER.
Lord God, I pray for Your grace as I pursue kindness in all my relationships. Thank You for the strength to be kind in difficult circumstances. In Jesus' name, Amen.

this is extracted from a devotional book.
i find it meaningful and decided to post it on my blog.
i hope this can be helpful to someone who is reading this post now.
God bless all of you! <3