My truck is twelve years old. Technology is great—until it isn’t. There are parts that break down, but most of the time, it works as I need it to. For the last couple of years, I’ve had an issue with a specific piece of technology associated with my truck: the key fob.
These devices seem to enhance vehicle safety, provide easier access, and make it more challenging for thieves to steal a car unless they can duplicate the signal. A few months ago, my fob started acting strangely, randomly locking and unlocking the truck. I would walk away from the vehicle, put the key fob in my pocket, and suddenly hear the truck unlock. My truck has a feature that allows me to remotely start the engine, and one time, I went outside to find the truck running—I have no idea how long it had been that way.
I initially thought it was a battery issue, so I replaced the button battery in the fob. While taking it apart, I discovered small button and contact sensors that lock and unlock the doors when pressed. I noticed that these contacts were loose, and thought a little super glue would fix the problem. That quick fix lasted about four months.
Eventually, I needed a new fob. When I researched a replacement, the dealership quoted me a ridiculous price to program the new fob. I decided I could manage the occasional headaches until I absolutely needed to get it fixed, which happened about two weeks ago when I couldn’t lock or unlock my truck at all.
Then it dawned on me that the only part that needed replacing was the button part. The internal circuitry and programming were fine. So, I ordered a replacement from Amazon for $13, swapped out the buttons, and it now works better than ever. It feels like I have a whole new keyless entry system, to be honest it is better than ever.
This situation reminds me of Ezekiel 11:19-20 (ESV): “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”
We are not like electronic devices. We can be stubborn and obstinate; our inner circuitry needs significant adjustments. The same issue that plagued the Israelites and all of humanity is that we often believe we are right when we are wrong.
Many times, we think it is only our outer selves that need fixing. We want to change our exterior, but Scripture is clear: we need new hearts. We need God’s Spirit to move in and take up residence within us. When this happens, we begin to walk in God’s statutes and develop a desire to obey Him.
Before this transformation, we can be prideful and stubborn; after, we become willing to submit and surrender. The language here suggests becoming tender—transitioning from stone to flesh. It conveys the idea that we are capable of being wounded, like a patient under a surgeon’s knife. We allow God to remove our hard-heartedness. So let it happen: undergo the transplant and become better than ever.