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Article Archive |
2009
Loud Knocks & Hard Truths
By Jim Morris
“Thump...thump...thump,” groaned the car’s engine.
We were 140 miles from home. Our old car had more miles on it than the odometer could show. Now it seemed that something was terribly wrong with the engine.
“Thump...thump...thump.”
Dad only had enough cash for gas. In those days we did not have credit cards. Instead, we bought things by cash or check. Unfortunately, most people did not accept out-of-town checks, and we were out of town. That knocking sound was getting worse with each mile.
“Thump...THUMP...thump.”
“Jim, where’s that knocking coming from?” mom asked dad. “It’s getting louder.”
“It’s nothing,” said dad. “I probably ran over a stick or something. It will be okay.” Though he tried to calm mom down, dad knew it was something more serious. I could see it in his face. He kept looking at his watch and at the speedometer.
“Thump...THUMP...thump.”
“It sounds like a rod knocking, dad,” I blurted out thinking that I had solved the mystery. “It is NOT a rod knocking!” yelled my dad as he gripped the steering wheel tighter. He glared at me in the rear view mirror warning me not to say another word. I sank back into my seat feeling that I was being treated as an “enemy” by my own dad...
“THUMP...THUMP...THUMP.”
“Dad, smoke’s coming out of the back of the car,” shouted my little brother, Rick. “Are we on fire?”
“NO, we are NOT on fire! We do NOT have a ROD knocking! NOW BE QUIET!”
“Oh, Jim! LOOK!” screamed mom. “We ARE on fire! The smoke is pouring out!”
Dad stopped the car on the shoulder of the highway and looked under the car and under the hood. It was not on fire but it was blowing oily smoke out of the tailpipe. When the hood was up, the engine sounded like sledge hammers on an anvil.
Dad drove the car to a roadside filling station and asked the mechanic to look it over. The engine had a bad rod. However, driving it in that condition made matters worse. The mechanic told dad that we would need to replace the engine.
Fortunately, one of dad’s friends helped us out. He brought dad some extra money for a wrecker to drag the car back to Fort Worth and then he taxied us back home himself.
How do we handle the truth when it goes against what we want to believe? Do we stubbornly refuse to believe the truth? Do we close our minds and clench our fists in anger?
Children, have your parents become your enemies because they love you enough to tell you the truth about the dangers of drinking, drugs and driving? Friends, have Christians become your enemies because they love you enough to tell you the truth about sin and the Judgment to come?
“Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16).
05-13-09
# 19
