Manufacturer recommendation

So I took my car in today for an oil change with a coupon, but after gathering my vehicle information, they told me that the type of oil that came with the coupon deal didn't match what the manufacturer recommended for my vehicle, so it was going to be a little bit more. (The info they gave me matched what I knew of my vehicle from reading the owner's manual)

Anyway, that got me thinking about the benefit of sticking to what is recommended by the manufacturer versus using a cheaper alternative. In the long run, it would be better for the vehicle to abide what it was designed to handle. It might be cheaper (aka easier) to use an alternative, and the strain on the vehicle wouldn't be seen right away, but it would damage the vehicle from the inside out.

There are a lot of similarities when it comes to us! The 'owner's manual' (the Bible) has important information in it that tells us what is best for us. It may not be the easiest thing to do in the moment, but the long term benefits are worth the extra cost! For instance, saving one's self sexually until marriage may seem very costly at the moment of temptation, but the long term benefits are real! Giving yourself to service to Jesus does carry a very high cost, especially when compared to the cheaper, easier thrills the world offers. But in the long run, that extra cost will give you life eternal.

Anyway, those are some thoughts I've had while sitting in the waiting room at Meineke. :)