“I have an FJ 1100, too,” my friend said. And looking back at mine, I was
glad to hear that someone else had made the same wise choice to ride. Mine was
to be the motorcycle that I owned for the longest time-10 years, and even when I
traded it then with over 76,000 miles, the dealer gave me full retail on the
trade. To say it was well kept was an understatement, and to say it had led a
sheltered life was a falsehood. It had been coast to coast, been into the rev
limiter-155 mph per Yamaha, and taken Christopher and I to Canada. And it was
the bike I rode to California when we moved from New Mexico. So when my friend
said he had one too, just a year newer, I envisioned a sister, or look alike to
mine. But when he threw up the garage door, boy was I wrong. It was a salvage
title bike, and was painted rattle can black, three different shades.
Handlebars made of ill cut metal from the scrap heap, and an exhaust customized
by crash. Too say they were worlds apart would be an understatement, even a 5
year old could see the difference, but there it was. Mine taken care of, and
maintained well, his a wreck. And I began to wonder about his values, and his
perspective on motorcycles. But looking at his bike I began to wonder, what had
the bike done wrong to end up like this? Somewhere along the way its old owner
either lost interest after crashing, or decided to take care of something else,
allowing it to fall into disrepair. Two bikes had been engineered the same,
built on the same assembly line, yet had two different endings. What had gone
wrong, and what had happened? What went on that day its old owner decided it
was expendable?
I was there when an MTV producer brought back the Speed Triple, Triumph had
lent it out for a video, the arrangement was no miles, just for a background
shoot. But as the man walked around it, and inquired if he could get another,
for himself, we walked around to the right side. WHOOPS! The right side was
ruined, what had happened? While he made excuses, it only has .4 miles on it,
the truth came out. He had shown off for a girl, and dumped it-hope she was
worth it, as the bike was totaled. Did he actually think no one would notice?
And he wanted to borrow another? Was he a serial bike killer? I watched as he
was almost physically thrown out of the shop, and sent a bill. He had bought a
Speed Triple, new, just not what he expected. But some 10 months later, Mick
showed me the cover of a Robb Report with this beautiful black Speed Triple on
it, slightly customized. “Do you remember this bike?” he asked. After
thinking, a blank, he explained this was the same bike that had been totaled by
Mr. MTV I know How to Ride stud. It was beautiful, he had rebuilt it.. And to
be on the cover of Robb Report, a high end car magazine, was a real honor. And
riding home that day I thought of the old FJ of my friend, and how two bikes,
made in continents far away, but sold in So Cal, had both been crashed, and
their totally opposite endings. One skillfully rebuilt, the other a botched
abortion. And no one ever asked the bikes what they thought.
People’s lives are a lot like this story. Somewhere along the way we all
encounter a life changing experience, and the decision we make due to it alters
our life, and our future. It comes down to choices, and bad ones lead to
destruction, while one good one can turn it all around. I know many who have
been ruined by drugs, who are putout like the FJ on the world’s ash heap.
Someone comes along and tries to patch them up, maybe using them for parts, but
never caring about them. We call them programs, procedures, and
processes-seeing what can be salvaged out of this once life worth living, if you
do it their way. Some try religion, and are processed through it, without the
benefit of Jesus. Do this and you can come to our church. some have fallen
from their religion, gone to jail and lost everything, and along comes Mr.
Church and tells them when you get it together, you can come back. We can’t
have people like you among our flock, what would others say? So they go on,
bouncing from one weekly lesson to another, a life of the FJ, still a person,
but just the shell. Painted many colors by whoever tells them what to do, they
end up in the trash, a victim of religion, a statistic of what could have been.
A life wasted because no one took the time to stand with them, to love them as
they are, to care. A salvage title is all that is left, and to the world
nothing even worth salvaging. And then there is Jesus...
The master at taking lives thrown away, and turning them into something, I
am reminded of an old saying back in the Jesus Movement days of the 60-70’s.
Jesus doesn’t make people into freaks, He makes freaks into people. Sometimes
it just takes the tiny bit of faith to trust Him, and let Him change your
life. But it isn’t what we say, or I say, it is what the Holy Spirit is telling
you, that still, small voice inside calling to you, “YOU NEED JESUS!” And until
you do, the voice will continue calling your name. No matter what you have
done, or where you are, Jesus has not only been there, He is there. Here, right
now. No need to be put together by a set of religious rules, you can have the
master builder, the creator, fix you up, better than new. Using factory parts,
not aftermarket parts that say they will fit. He is the perfect fit for you.
And He just doesn’t deal with what others see, He goes deeper to where no one
can see but Him. He sees the cracks in your frame, He sees the engine wear no
one else does, and performs miracles no one else can claim. If religion, rules,
or procedures could do it, it wouldn’t be a miracle, it takes Jesus. But the
choice is always yours, touring on a cover bike, or hiding the crash in the
garage.
Not everyone will make the cover of a magazine, just like it takes special
bikes, and a special relationship to get on Robb Report. But we can have our
names written in the Book of Life, more valuable than any other publication.
And it takes that relationship with Jesus, which you can have right now. Turn
to Him, ask Him to forgive you and help you-then let Him! Already accepted Him,
then turn to Him. Maybe spend some time in the shop-church and in the word,
letting Him perform a tune up. Catching a small problem before it becomes
disabling. For just like the new bikes coming off the assembly line, we all had
promise when born. But somewhere a decision was made, and we ended up with a
salvage title. Trade it in now for a clear title, fresh and clean. What you
ride reflects who you are, and what you believe makes you what you are. There
are a million stories in the big city, yours is just one of them, but the most
important to Jesus.
You are in for the ride of your life. Make it a great one with
Jesus.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com