Warning Lights of the Heart

I once watched a friend buy a beautiful, used truck. It was shiny and loud; exactly what he wanted. 

He noticed a small, flickering red light on the dashboard during the test drive, but he chose to ignore it.
He told himself it was just a loose wire, and he did not want to ruin the thrill of the new purchase.

Two weeks later, he was stranded on the side of a dirt road with a blown engine. 

That tiny light was not a glitch; it was a warning. 

Relationships often work the same way. 

We see the red flags, but we keep driving because we want the dream to be real.

God gives you eyes to see the truth, not just the dream.

The biggest warning light in any relationship is a lack of accountability.
If a person cannot say they are sorry, or if they blame the world for every mistake, they are telling you they have no brakes.
Without humility, there is no way to stop a crash from happening.

A relationship without the ability to own up to faults is a dead end. 

You cannot grow with someone who refuses to admit they are stuck. 

Growth requires us to look in the mirror and be honest about the mess we see.

A heart that will not bend will eventually break.

This goes both ways. 

We must also check our own hearts before we point fingers at others. 

Are you a person who can be told you are wrong?
Do you listen with a spirit of love when a friend or a spouse brings a concern to you?

Jesus spoke clearly about the way we should look at ourselves and others. 

He wants us to walk in honesty and light. When two people decide to be truthful, the bond becomes stronger than any storm.

"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Matthew 7:3).

True love is built on the firm ground of honesty.

When you stop ignoring the red flags, you are not being mean or judgmental.
You are setting a standard for the kind of life God wants for you.
You deserve a partnership that helps you grow closer to Christ, not a situation that leaves you exhausted.

Choose to be a person of your word.
Find people who value the truth as much as you do.
When you build on accountability, you are building a house that will stand forever.

Let your standards reflect the worth God puts on your soul.