Porsche 911

In our PASG meeting last week the facilitator told this parable about going to the car dealership:

"Earlier this week I went to get some service done to my car. While waiting for it to be done I noticed a very ugly sound coming from outside and up came rolling a very high end, high maintenance sports car. It came up screeching and smoking from underneath the hood and as it parked in front of the office out came a very upset middle aged man. You could tell he was well off (One because the car was a Porsche 911 and Two because his attire was all name brand.) This vehicle usually prices at around $90 - $100,000 depending on the package and the poor stallion had been turned into a hacking and sputtering donkey. The man was irate and said "I've had this car less than 2 years and it is doing this?! UNACCAPTABLE!" The mechanic calmed the man down enough to get some basic questions in about the vehicle. "Well sir, when was the last time you had an oil change?" The main snorted and retorted "With the amount I paid for this car, why should I have to have an oil change?!" 

The facilitator laughed at this predicament but then thought of us and the step we were on which was Step 10: Daily Accountability. The last 3 steps in this wonderful program are called 'Maintenance Steps' for a reason. In an ideal case, by the time you've truly worked the program and gotten to step 6, your addiction should have subsided and character weaknesses showing. It is now time to maintain the precious, clean vehicle that you have fought for. If this man would have brought in the fancy car like he was supposed to, every couple thousand miles, then he would have seen that there were some things that needed correcting. Especially oil to lubricate the metal in the engine! We are the same. There need to be regular check ups or we will end up destroying ourselves inside and out. Daily accountability is essential to not only sobriety, but progression in the gospel. 

Don't be like this guy

Be like this guy

Alma 5: 26 "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"