Professionally Trained

Oh no, what did I do?

Yesterday was the latest installment of 'pastor' goes to the garage to wrench on a vehicle. You know how some movie sagas live far beyond their vitality? After the movie adds the number 6 to its title, expect nothing new. My mechanic installments (escapades) are never poorly made or lack excitement like some movies.

Two days before, I changed the transmission filter and fluid in our van. Things went well. While I was there, I changed the motor oil and filter. Good to go! With success glowing on my face, I tackled the transmission filter and fluid in our pick-up truck. I removed the transmission pan bolts, allowed the fluid to drain into a tray, and dropped the pan. So far so good! As I emptied the pan of its remaining fluid I saw this unknown trinket rolling around in the pan:

Spare parts floating around in the tranny pan are not normal and there was a moment of 'freaking out' here. Did I dislodge this part from the unit? Many thoughts flooded my mind and none were productive.

It is good to have a son who is a trained auto technician, so, I texted him this photo with an earnest plea for his help. Kenny lives a little over 100 miles away. While he could not help and had never seen this part, he said the next best thing. "Run down to Lake Ford and tell them you have a question for the transmission technicians." Duh! Why didn't I think of that? The Ford dealer is about 1/4 mile away!

Quick trip to the dealer produced a unique (weird) explanation. but an accurate analysis.

After the parts person exhausted his computer info, he went into the shop and came back with this news,"The tech says your spare part is a plug placed in the dipstick tube during assembly to prevent foreign substance from fouling the transmission. When the plant fills the transmission with fluid this plug is knocked into the pan. I see this a lot." No worries and no problems here!

Lately, I have heard folks talking about the Bible and trying to decipher its meaning. People using their feelings, personal experience, and popular cultural in biblical interpretation reminds me of a pastor who thinks he is a mechanic. At the moment when an unknown part appeared, panic and jumping to conclusions set in. What is really needed is for that pastor 'mechanic wannabe' to go to a trained professional and seek accurate information. What a relief for me yesterday when the technician revealed the news.

I turned a useless factory seal into an integral piece of the transmission. I gave the plug more value (false value) than it actually contained. Misinterpreting scripture and making it say something God never intended is as silly (dangerous) as my mechanic installment yesterday. Clarify what God is saying in the text. Investigate historical, geographical, socio, theological message, and cultural significance in the text. Apply your findings toward your present day experience and see how God is speaking to you. Maybe I should go to auto technician school to get an education about cars and such....