What’s Up with Thinkin Bout It

By Dr. Vince Hefner - First Baptist of Cherryville

It was my day off, and I wanted to take my wife out of town for some lunch and some sightseeing. Everything was going as planned until we started our trip back home. The truck began to make a funny sound and my wife reported to me that I had a flat tire. It wasn’t “our” flat tire; it was “my” flat tire. I knew what I had to do, change it and get on my way. My wife told me to call AAA, and they would come out fix it for me. Are you kidding? There is an unspoken rule among men that we can change a flat tire, anytime, anywhere. I pulled the truck into a driveway and got out to “quickly and efficiently” change the flat tire with the spare tire.

Since I had never had a flat tire in the truck, I had to think for a moment exactly where the spare was located. It was under the truck. No problem, I would unloosen it from the truck and take the flat tire off and replace it with the spare. The next part would be to find the jack and wheel wrench. They were under the backseat. Folks, I couldn’t get the back seat to unfold. My wife kept telling me to call AAA, but I ignored her until I found the right combination to unfold the seat and retrieved the tools. Now I was ready for action.

I climbed under the truck and found the spare tire, but I couldn’t get it loose. By this time I was getting agitated. My wife calmly opened the glove compartment and pulled out the owner’s manual. There is another unspoken rule for men that we do not read directions from any manual, which goes along with another unspoken rule that we do not ask for directions if we are lost. Since I would not read the manual on how to fix a flat tire, my wife read them to me. I figured this wasn’t breaking any “Unspoken rules” since I was not actually doing the reading.

I will be the first to admit that I am not the most mechanical man who has ever lived. But Mr. Goodwrench himself would have had a difficult time getting that spare tire off the underside of that truck and cranking that jack lift with the tools they provided. I had to use a key to unlock the opening on the back bumper and use some extension pieces to lower the spare. I felt I was in a Mission Impossible movie where I was asked to do something impossible. What should have taken a minimum of ten minutes, took me almost one hour. After the flat tire had been replaced, I was covered in dirt and grime. My wife told me I had done a great job but that I should have called AAA. I hate it when she is right.

I’m not sure where all these “unspoken rules” for men originated. Maybe it was from women who were angry with their husbands. Regardless of the source, I’m going to do some serious thinking on what I will and will not do when it come to the “Unspoken Rules for Men.”  However, I hope I never have a problem when it comes to following God’s Word for my daily actions. It is good to know that God’s rules are not “unspoken,” but well recorded for all to read. Make sure that you take time to read His Word on a daily basis to help you when troubles arise in your life. The Bible may not tell you how to change a flat tire on a truck, but it will tell you how to act while you’re doing it! Before I forget it, if you see me on the side of the road with a disabled vehicle, it is OK to stop and help me!

Remember, don’t give in to sin. Think about it!