Keep Up With The Upkeep

Maintenance. Have you thought about all the time you spend on the basic upkeep of life?

Life seems to be a perpetual process of maintaining. Because of the persistent law of entropy, life continually

moves from order to disorder, from fixed to broken.

We see this in our homes, our cars, our health, and our relationships. Practically everything requi

res maintenance. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to “maintain” is “to keep in an existing state of repair, efficiency, or validity: to preserve from failure or decline.”

Maintenance is work. It takes energy. It takes time. It requires attention and vigilance. But it’s

worth it. If we ignore maintenance, we usually regret it. If we maintain well, most things tend to go well.

That’s why certain purchases come with maintenance manuals and suggest maintenance schedules. When we keep up with the upkeep, life’s a lot better. When we don’t, we pay the price.

Maintenance is an important part of our personal lives too. It starts with our relationship with God. When we put off spiritual upkeep, it eventually catches up with us. Staying in good spiritual shape is one of the wisest things we can do.

Our relationships also need maintenance. Getting the best from our marriages, families, and friendship

s requires upkeep. Intentionally investing time, attention, and effort are all part of keeping our relationships fresh and in good repair. When we give ourselves to regular relationship maintenance, there’s less tension, fewer misunderstandings, and less wear, tear, and strain on one another.

The Bible reminds us to give ourselves to things that really matter:

Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. — 1 Timothy 4:15 (NLT)

When it comes to relationships, it’s easy to take them for granted. We sadly put very little into their upkeep. When things turn sour, we’re surprised. When a marriage begins unraveling or friendships start suffering, we’re shocked. We don’t realize the situation is the result of weeks, months, or years of neglect. We run relationships down, more often than not, simply by lack of maintenance.

What relationship in your life needs some attention? Do you have a maintenance schedule for your marriage? Your family? Your friendships? Do the important people in your world have a place on your calendar?

Wise people keep up with the upkeep!

Pastor Dale

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