‘Check Engine’ Lights though annoying many times certainly alert you to the awareness of “Something isn’t quite right”, which can easily be the light itself, but more often a sensor or component within the electronics of your vehicle that in someway is no longer functioning in the way it was designed or has become disconnected… When a Christian is in-tune with the Holy Spirit it too flashes a warning, “Something isn’t quite right” something within my soul is no longer functioning as it was designed or has become disconnected. Think with me when you sensed your ‘Check Heart’ Light had come on and it was time to look under the hood.
Such was the case with me last week during the Christian Car Guy Show itself. Though I did not know it the satellite that transmits our show to many of the stations wasn’t connected, I had a new producer and it was his first time flying solo. He struggled with the call screening and I couldn’t take the calls nor see who was calling and from where or why. I found myself getting angrier and angrier. I wasn’t mad at him, I was mad at my previous producer who was supposed to train him and who I felt had relished the idea of not working on Saturdays so much he was willing to sacrifice our show. Through the entire weekend I couldn’t let it go knowing I would see our previous producer first thing Monday, I was running scripts on how to punish him for his lack of caring about our show when I came in Monday.
I got up at 5am as always Monday to start my devotions but I couldn’t devote, my mind kept racing back to my anger and my scripts. My ‘Check Heart’ Light was flashing like crazy, it was clearly time to look under the hood. So I turned to God and said, “Ok, what’s wrong here, let’s run some diagnostics. I know I should not be so upset that I can’t go after my first Love, why is this making me so angry Lord?”
The Holy Spirit reminded me, “This feeling it is so familiar, someone doesn’t care about what I care about.”
So I asked, “Who was it Lord?”
The Holy Spirit then illuminated my heart to see the wound. It was my little brother, Mark. (for you mechanics out there I had set the OBD II Trouble Code B0001A). My father worked for Buick when we were kids and we moved at least every other year clear across the country from Chicago to California, Michigan, Colorado. So my brother and sisters were the only friends we often had because we were always the new kids on the block. This was normal for me and it had caused an even closer relationship with Mark and as he was only two years younger he followed me like any younger brother to catch snakes, or frogs, play G.I. Joe’s or army or Cowboys and Indians. I thought we loved all the same things, till one day.
Yep, Mark started hanging out with a girl down the street. “WHAT, you would rather hang out with a girl than go catch snakes, you wimp!” I felt betrayed hurt angry and my little boy heart had no understanding that my brother needed to be Mark, not Robby. What’s worse is that I had defiled my brother per Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
My judgement of my brother grew up a bitter root, based on my lack of grace, (he was no longer my favorite) then I cursed him to really drive the sin home.
Then the Holy Spirit brought to my mind the story of the Prodigal’s Brother Luke 15:11. No wonder he treated his brother the way he did when he came home, the older brother probably had a similar experience and had a similar little brother wound he 
was dealing with. . Perhaps the older brother was more the Prodigal because he failed to check under the hood when his ‘Check Heart’ Light came on…none the less…This really highlighted my need for Jesus.
I have no way to clear all this up without forgiveness. Jesus paid the price for my judgement and bitter root that I had defiled many with for 50 years. Even now defiling my Previous producer. I asked for and received forgiveness… Then I called my brother Mark and had a good cry over what I had done. Grace upon grace, my brother and I are again under grace..we are each others favorite brother….
So what did I say Monday morning when I met my previous producer walking in… Good Morning, because it really was.
Tags: #brotherwound
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