Making a difference (a little non-car talk)

Can one man (or woman) make a difference? Have you ever wondered if that is really true? See when I think of people who made a difference I think of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Major Dick Winters (Easy Company Commander in WW2, featured in HBO's Band of Brothers), C.S. Lewis, and other men of relative "fame". But have you ever heard the story of Ray Blankenship? As I thought about things today that are far more important than BMW's, I thought of my relationship with Jesus, my family, my kids, and the people I help or have helped.

With all this blogging, twitter, and forum stuff I do, I have begun to think of myself as a crusader to the common man. To help those in need with car repairs for cheap prices and be as honest as I can be with them. To teach those who would learn to do their own repairs, to impart knowledge learned by my own sweat and blood. But I guess today I wondered, is this all my life is about? Have I become nothing more than a "car resource" when I have more knowledge to give, knowledge that really does make a difference. The knowledge of Jesus Christ, and what He has done for Shad Molck, and what He can do for you.

You're probably thinking, "oh brother, I came here for BMW advice and I get a wacko "Jesus Freak" out of nowhere". I assure you, I don't intend to Bible bash anyone. In fact, I am almost done with this entry, so just hang in there. I was an alcoholic, cocaine freak, 3 pack a day smoker, adulterer and liar. And through Christ I found the strength to quit all those things. In fact, I haven't had a drink of alcohol or a snort of anything in over 6 years. I'm faithful to my wife, and haven't smoked in over 6 years either. How do I know He is real, I know who I was, and I know who I am now. You don't get the old Shad to change with earthly power, it wasn't possible. So I don't need to argue if Jesus exists, if He is real, or if there is an eternity to earn. As sure as my BMW carves corners, the answer is YES, YES, YES! So what does that have to do with BMW's, me, this blog and Ray Blankenship (you didn't think I forgot about him did you?)? Well, here is the story of Ray Blankenship:

One summer morning as Ray Blankenship was preparing his breakfast, he gazed out the window, and saw a small girl being swept along in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Andover, Ohio, home. Blankenship knew that farther downstream, the ditch disappeared with a roar underneath a road and then emptied into the main culvert. Ray dashed out the door and raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the foundering child. Then he hurled himself into the deep, churning water. Blankenship surfaced and was able to grab the child's arm. They tumbled end over end. Within about three feet of the yawning culvert, Ray's free hand felt something--possibly a rock-- protruding from one bank. He clung desperately, but the tremendous force of the water tried to tear him and the child away. "If I can just hang on until help comes," he thought. He did better than that. By the time fire-department rescuers arrived, Blankenship had pulled the girl to safety. Both were treated for shock. On April 12, 1989, Ray Blankenship was awarded the Coast Guard's Silver Lifesaving Medal. The award is fitting, for this selfless person was at even greater risk to himself than most people knew. Ray Blankenship can't swim.

You see, what Ray did is what Jesus asks us to do. Just jump in the river and trust that He will pull you through. I believe he asked me to write about this because if I do nothing else, I should tell anyone I know (or who knows me) that life will end one day. What happens next is up to you. Jesus did the hard part, now you must make a choice. My choice was hard, my choice was 7 years ago, and my choice is to share it with you now.

I can tell you how to troubleshoot an A/C system, replace an oil separator, or even replace your VANOS seals. But if I don't tell you about Jesus, then I haven't fulfilled my purpose. I haven't been a "difference maker". I want to make a difference. No matter what you are going through, no matter what you believe, Jesus is out there, calling to each of us in the way we need to be called. I hope you find Him, then you can have your name called as a "difference maker" in eternity.

My next entry will be cars again. Thanks for reading!