Once again for the very first time, we are encountering déjà vu all over
again. Talking with a man recently who just retired from teaching, he told of
how he taught for almost 30 years. When I commented that he taught the same
thing, for 30 years, it seemed to take all the pride out of his statement, or
his accomplishment. He had taught for 30 years, but the same thing, 30 times.
Still an accomplishment, but still not conquering new ground, unless you
consider how students have changed in the past 30 years-now that’s new ground,
and tells more than teaching 30 years. But still in real life, it is truly once
again for the very first time.
I have a friend who recently went over 100,000 miles on his Harley, a great
feat on one bike no matter what you ride. But when I asked about places he had
been, he got a confused look on his face. Where have I been? To work and
back. He commuted on his bike, an admirable trait, but he had never gone
anywhere. And whereas he rode as many miles per year as I do, I had seen 48
states, and had memories of it. I had seen America, he had seen I-15. The same
traffic, only broken up by different traffic jams. I bet if his bike could
speak, it would know the way back to the barn just like a horse does. He may
have even worn a path from work to home with it, just put your front wheel in
the groove and let it wail-to work and back. Still a lot of miles, just been
nowhere. How many times must he have asked “why does this road look familiar?”
And the answer is...
It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the
same thing, but expecting a different result. In these examples, they may not
have been insane, but do you ever tire of the same thing? Were they stuck in a
rut, a grave with both ends open, or were they in a comfort zone, knowing the
text, just repeating it. Like a Hollywood actor, who gets sick of playing the
Fonz, and wants to do Shakespeare. They have been stereotyped, not to the bad,
but stuck in a comfort zone, never knowing what lies outside of it. Achieving
mediocrity is nothing we set out to do, and believe me, mediocrity has sounded
good to me at times, but I want something to show for my time, for my miles. I
want to get out of a perceived comfort zone, and into living comfortably. I
don’t want to ever wonder where that road goes, I want to wander and find out.
I want to eat lobster in Maine, Philly cheese steaks in Philadelphia, and BBQ in
Texas,Kansas City, and North Carolina to be able to tell the difference. I want
the full effect for my money, not the Readers Digest condensed version. When I
point my front wheel east, I want the Atlantic to be the only reason I stop, and
the Pacific in the west. I want to expand my comfort zone, with some
excitement, and some challenges-not too big, just enough to make the day a
pleasant memory. I don’t wish to go down the same road over and over again and
wonder why does this road look familiar?
And I have approached my life in Christ the same way. I want
all the blessings God has to offer, and He wants to give them. Many times it is
only us who doesn’t let Him bless us, and deny His grace. For instance, how
many times did you reject Jesus until you accepted Him and the blessings began?
How many times have you said no, or worse, delayed, missing a divine
appointment, and never knowing it. While travelling with Bruce in Canada, he
once remarked “how come you find all the cool places and I don’t?” Get out of
your comfort zone, and get comfortable in Christ. Dare to be stretched, dare to
go where you have never gone before. I have been to Long Beach in California,
Washington, and New York, each night spent there different. But it took the
spirit giving me the desire, and then obeying it to find out. The blessings
that lie outside of your door only start there-but only if you open the door,
and walk out and find out. It takes trust, and trusting Jesus will open more
doors to adventure and blessings-but you must get out of your comfort zone-and
into His-the Holy Spirit. Déjà vu may occur over and over, but in a different
setting, on different roads, and with different people. But you will never know
until you go...what excuse are you making to rob yourself of blessings? To know
Jesus better...Eternal life started the day you accepted Him, He says “on earth
as it is in heaven.” Ask yourself, what about me would want anyone to be a
Christian? Do you have testimonies or excuses? Where have your miles taken
you?
Where you have been is a great testimony, but where you are
going is a better one. And who you do it with is even more important.Start with
Jesus today. The one road in life I wish to be familiar with. And one that
leads to so many blessings, and places I never knew existed. You will only find
your true comfort zone in Christ-get out of yours today and live. The only road
that doesn’t look familiar is one you never rode before. And all great journeys
begin with the first step. So where have you been? Better yet where are you
going? Once again for the very first time-it is all about Jesus. Tough choices
to make.. for I love Interstate BBQ in Memphis, Arthur Bryant’s in KC, and The
Golden Rule in Birmingham. But I would never know until I went there. Set your
heart to the travel channel with Jesus...and enjoy the new roads that someday
will become familiar to you. When riding becomes boring, maybe it is time to go
for a ride. Why does this road not look familiar? I’m glad you asked...
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com