I’m always on the lookout for a good angle for the next Observations post.

Becky and I have been working with an Afghan refugee family as they settle into life in the United States.  It has been a rich and good experience for us.

Last Saturday I was at the BMV (what they call the DMV in Indiana) with our friend as we tried to resolve a registration issue with the car he had recently purchased.  How better to integrate into American life than by owning a car?  This was our second or third round at trying to solve our problem.  This BMV official was very helpful.  We would have to go back to the dealer who apparently had not filed paperwork properly.

It being a Saturday, I emailed our contact at the dealership  and received an immediate and encouraging response.  “I can supply you with an Indiana title correction affidavit form on Monday and that will be sufficient to process the title work.  We appreciate your business and your patience. We apologize for the clerical error on our end. Hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend sir.” Wow, “back to you Monday.”  Even a real apology. So much for those used car salesman stereotypes.  The honest used car salesman. That would make for a good Observations post.

Trouble is that Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday came and went.  More emails.  Follow-up phone calls and no title correction affidavit.

Yeah, never trust a used car salesman.

Speaking of used car salesmen, did you hear that the FBI raided Donald Trump’s house in Florida?  I don’t want to talk to about it. Except that whatever else was going on – and a lot seems to have been going on – how would you like thirty guys in cheap suits, sunglasses, and earpieces spending nine hours going through your dresser drawers and the boxes in your basement?

Guilty or not of whatever they may charge them with, even former presidents must feel a bit exposed and slightly violated by such things. I wouldn’t want it.  I mean, those old socks with holes in the heel I’ve never gotten around to tossing out.  Maybe some of those photos of me in my much more geeky days should have been classified top secret, after all.

There are some private things our public selves would prefer others not see.  I’m not talking scandalous, I’m talking embarrassment.

But that’s the thing about the Gospel.  In Christ, God raids our lives, sees everything, and then loves us to the end.  The writer to the Hebrews puts it this way, The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12-23(ESV)

I will keep on the used car salesman until he corrects his error, hopefully soon.

Frankly it is difficult for me to muster much sympathy for any politician. Yes, there may be reasons we think of used car salesmen and politicians in the same thought.

But thanks be to the God who sees us naked and exposed and still loves us.

Afterward: The BMV advised us that our next step in resolving our issue was to file a complaint with the State Attorney General’s office.  That got the dealer’s attention and he says he has now submitted all the required paperwork.  And he apologized again (twice).  We’ll see.