In my quest to bridge the gap between "unhelpful systems" and tangible fellowship, I recently performed a test-run on a platform many of you know. Well, Nextdoor, that is. 🤔
My pure intent of fueling this "Heart Mechanic" energy—I wanted to be a silent auditor of Grand Junction’s pressing challenges and find the neighbors who needed a bit of advocacy or even just a listening ear to guide them to proper resources which may be of most help.
The Diagnostic Result? Let’s just say it’d become a “system failure” flashing the ‘check engine light’ well before I’d veered off from Exit 42 from Interstate-70 West. Within hours, the alarm bells started ringing. Instead of a community looking to "love thy neighbor," I found a digital landscape that was, quite frankly, unhinged.
I was looking for a space to discuss mental health advocacy and the radical compassion of an all-loving, reverent God. Instead, I found a cacophony of political extremism and a brand of "criticism" that feels like the exact opposite of the faith-path I am walking. It’s not surprising to me. Nonetheless, it’s never pleasant to see the very neighbors who surround your immediate ecosystem praising false gods under the "Wizard’s illusions" which are replaced with digital haranguing, keyboard battles, and a plethora of safety concerns. This is at its finest, decisions a quality Mechanic has to find healthy balance.
Pulling the Plug
Instead of trying to "fix" the platform, my modus operandi remained steadfast in disengagement of the very platform presenting a series of future mechanical failuures should I have continued to pursue the digital landscape of hateful rhetoric which diametrically opposes the truth, the life, and the proof of God’s eternal blessings and bountiful love, guidance, and divine order. So, I flushed the fuel injector line by deleting the Nextdoor account altogether. I dont judge anyone who chooses to use that platform as a tool for fellowship. It’s just not aligned with my personal brand of stewardship.
In this new era—the JST (Standard Jack Time) era—my nervous system firewalls are non-negotiable. If a space triggers alarm bells instead of offering peace, it's a liability to the mission itself. To "fill my own cup before I can fill others," I must be the gatekeeper of what’s granted access to my personal life’s engine.
My Christianity isn't a political weapon. What is it? A commitment to empathy and the "unshrunk" spirit. If the digital neighborhood doesn't have room for a nonbinary "Unicorn-Tiger" who believes in radical grace over political outrage, then I’ll take my tools elsewhere. Consider me the Ned Flanders of Western Colorado. I’ll choose dignity and grace over chaos any day of the week.
My mission hasn't changed. I’ve merely switched out the medium. Or in mechanical terms, I’ve replaced some rusty bolts that were promised to outlast seasons of disorientation. I’ve given it a bit of a spiritual tune-up, of sorts. Faith, advocacy, and a deep-seated need to help the "others" in this town remain my tools. And not only just for Mesa County, but nationwide. If you’ve found yourself browsing through my liturgical garage, then please by all means reach out to me if you’re in need of some “healthcare system” or disability advocacy.
Matthew 10:14 (NIV): "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet."
The Mechanic’s Diagnosis:
Consider the dust shaken. The shop remains open, but the digital front door is now securely locked to the "unhinged." We have much more important work to do.
