WHAT’S UNDER THE HOOD?
READ PSALM 139:1-6
A popular pastime for folks in our area and across the country is attending “Classic Car Shows” and “Cruise-Ins.” These wholesome events attract car enthusiasts who drive their well-preserved older cars to a designated venue for public display. Local Facebook groups advertise the meeting time, date, and location on social media posts. Group organizers may arrange to use a shopping center, church, bar, or restaurant parking lot. A “Classic Car Show” may require registering the car and paying an entry fee. It also may feature contests and prizes. The “Cruise-Ins” are typically more impromptu. No reservations, no fees— just show up!
Either way, these gatherings offer a congenial atmosphere where people in the community can come out to view cars and chat with car owners who are casually seated in lawn chairs nearby. The owners look forward to answering questions about their vehicles.
Some of the car makes that may be featured are Corvette, Thunderbird, Challenger, Camaro, Mustang, or other “muscle” cars. Most of them have undergone some restoration to keep them running, although they may appear like new. Some rural groups feature their farm and garden tractors and equipment, to the delight of young children.
Most likely, a curious visitor will tap into the passion of the car owner by asking, “What’s under the hood?” That person wants to know how fast the car was in its prime and what kind of performance the engine has. Other banter may arise as folks peer under the propped-up hood, asking questions about nostalgia, trivia, car manufacturing eras, road trips, chrome, accessories, and upkeep. Attendees come away with a feel-good time of meeting interesting people, exploring their hobby, and finding out facts about cool cars.
With this picture in mind, let’s use the analogy of the car as the human body, the engine as the human heart, the steering wheel as our mind, and the fuel as our inner motives. Like car owners know their cars, we know ourselves. We know where we have been and where we wish to go. Our thought life has steered us to go places and say things all our lives.
Like the cars at the neighborhood car shows, we shouldn’t just put on a show to impress others. God sees through our attempts to look good for others and keep our sin behind closed doors. Instead, like well-tuned engines, we should have our heart, mind and motives attuned to God’s purposes.
In the Book of 1 Samuel, the prophet Samuel went to the house of Jesse as God directed him, to anoint one of his sons as the next king of Israel. As each fine-looking young man passed by, the Lord disqualified each one. “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the heights of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7) Finally Jesse called his youngest son, David, in from tending sheep in the fields. The boy stood before Samuel with tanned skin and beautiful eyes. “’Arise, anoint him; for this is he,’ the Lord said to Samuel.” (1 Samuel 16: 9) No one dreamed that the young shepherd would be chosen as king of Israel, but that is the mystery as God examines character within the heart.
Many years later, King David sings of God’s ability to know him so well; better than he knew himself. He welcomes God’s scrutiny and stands amazed at God’s intimate knowledge of him. “O Lord, Thou has searched me and know me. Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up, Thou dost understand my thoughts from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, Thou art intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, thou dost know it all.” (Psalm 139: 1-6)
Since an early age, King David knew that God watched his heart, just as God knows everyone’s heart. At every moment, all over the world, God knows and sees all human hearts laid bare before Him, whether we realize it or not. That is the power of an omniscient God, who sees our thoughts before we form them into words. He scrutinizes our motives to keep us in check from ill-motivated actions. We should be glad that God sees us so completely. He knows us better than we know ourselves.
That is why we need to seek Him and ask Him “What is under my hood? What don’t I see that I need to change?” That is the way to holiness. We are the only ones who can consciously decide to change our thoughts and actions to comply with God’s correction.
King David again beseeches God concerning his heart. As an older man, weathered from war and kingdom intrigue, he wants that same innocence he once had as a young shepherd boy. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me.” (Psalm 51:10)
We are responsible to work in tandem with God’s Spirit to discover and know our own heart, no matter what age, make, or model we are. Like the car owners sitting in lawn chairs waiting to chat, God will gladly tell us what we need to know about ourselves. That way, we can be true to ourselves and candid with others, living authentic lives–not just for show.
