After working at a coal mine for 4 years, one thing I have learned is- everything must be maintained. Without constant maintenance nothing would be accomplished.
Every piece of equipment has to be serviced on a regular basis. When the oil needs changed, it gets done immediately.
If a hydraulic hose starts leaking or a necessary part breaks, it is fixed quickly. Mechanics are constantly working on several different pieces of equipment to ensure the safety and reliability for every machine on site.
Maintenance has to happen in our lives as well, we must constantly be checking our thoughts, attitudes, emotions, and actions. To ensure we are living in the most Godly manner possible. You might be asking “how can we live this out practically in our lives?”
Thoughts are powerful, often times more powerful than we realize. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
More times than not your attitude, emotions, and actions follow your thoughts.
When you think about being angry and hateful constantly, you will constantly be angry and hateful.
If your constantly angry and hateful you will severely damage the relationships with the ones you care most about.
Maintenance is messy.
At the coal mine, one will no doubt end up covered in mud, oil, grease, and hydraulic fluid amongst other things.
In our own lives, maintenance is no less messy. Its hard work and rarely fun. It will bring out the worst in us; but it must be done.
Otherwise, we risk our lives crumbling around us.