I have this philosophy, that over the years has proven to be reasonably
accurate, within its self imposed bounds. I believe you can tell much about a
person by what they drive and how hey take care of it. Having been a service
advisor for many years, I have been behind the wheel of thousands of cars, and
can prove my point if necessary. And since this says much about your car, I
wonder what your car would say about you given the chance? I can see some of
you shrinking back...I can hardly wait to the secrets they have to tell. If
they are secrets at all.
I had a boss once who never changed his oil, when the red light came on he
added 5 quarts. Tells me a lot about his personal life too, he was always
trying to fix things, and somehow his engine went over 100,000 miles. But would
you want to take a vacation in it? I am sure his car could comment on the
excuses he heard for other failures in his life. But maybe the whispering that
went on behind his back said it for the car. As every old time Harley rider
knows, they are told in the owners manual to only use Harley Davidson oil, and
once riding with another man, when his low oil light came on, drove many miles
with it on looking for a Harley dealer, they weren’t at every freeway exit 40
years ago. And somehow he didn’t blow up his engine despite passing many gas
stations, parts stores, and a few Honda shops. And he told me it didn’t use oil,
but some friends wouldn’t let him park in their driveways because it leaked so
much. Again somehow avoiding catastrophe rather than fixing or maintaining his
ride. If only his bike could talk...then again the loud exhaust kept him from
hearing us laughing behind his back. But back to cars...
I would have Mercedes Benz owners driving expensive cars come in with them
filled with taco and hamburger wrappers. Spilled Coke on the console, and
smelling of too many bean burritos. And then complain about our free car wash
and how it didn’t detail the car enough. It seemed the piggier they were, the
more demanding they were of us, how many times we wanted to run them through the
car wash. And while parked next to the same car, clean and well maintained, it
was hard to imagine both were once new, built with pride, and came off the same
assembly line. Somewhere one car had gotten mixed up with bad company, its new
owner, and had suffered, and was still suffering, while the other was treated
with respect, and cared for. Imagine the conversations the two would have about
their owners...
I had one particular Land Rover mom come in one day that the rear seat DVD
players weren’t working. She couldn’t hear her phone calls over the kids
talking, how rude of them, and demanded it be fixed immediately. “Simple,” I
said, “hang up the phone and talk with them.” Which drew another visit from the
service manager telling me how she thought I was rude, again I was glad I wasn’t
her kids or her car. Or her husband, can you imagine dinner talk that night, or
any night? And a hearty amen from the car. I have also had those so anal
retentive that they changed the oil every 1000 miles, and got mad at factory for
not covering it, or even requiring it. First no one made them buy the car, or
made them change the oil so frequently-just not needed. But yet they were the
same ones who complained when the oil plug wore out from going to a quickie oil
change place, they were mad at the dealer, and trusted their prize car to the
equivalent of auto shop. I can hear this car now, just like the kid who cannot
eat sugar or told no all the time, “just let me be me!” Like the other cars!
But instead driven to the brink of insanity by too much care.
Now finding that anal car to buy used is great, and once I bought a bike
like that. The guy even detailed the sprockets, and it was over serviced. Good
deal for me, and the bike looks and runs great even today. Despite only
recommended maintainence and regular cleaning. And it purrs every time I ride
it agreeing with its new owner. But what about the guy who spends too much, not
that he can’t afford it, but then puts on Korean tires? Or uses car oil instead
of motorcycle oil? What if it’s a Harley and uses non-Harley oil? What are
these bikes trying tell their owners when they wear out because they didn’t get
proper service? Or cleaning? And how about the poor tech having to work on a
bike that is a mess because of abuse, and then told to fix it cheaply...until it
breaks again, and it isn’t its fault? The things a car or motorcycle can tell
about its owner is amazing...and you might not want to know if you are like the
above. But yet if you listen, it is trying to tell you something, are you
listening? For all these things we see in your ride, tell us what your personal
life is like, if your car is a mess, so is your life. If too neat and anal, so
is your life. Too clean, maybe missing out on fun, or too dirty, too much fun.
If you were your car,would you drive in you? Old Mercedes Benz owners were once
proud to show the service book when selling their car, a history of how well it
was taken care of. Not so much anymore, as the relationship between car and
driver has faded, don’t even ask if it is leased. So ask yourself, if we saw
your service records, what would they tell us? Are you worth purchasing? Is
your whole life one of fixing things that broke rather than maintaining them so
they didn’t? How many times has your check engine light of life come on and you
disregarded it? Is it on now? What is your car trying to tell you about your
life?
I have a friend who asks his family regularly why they are saved. Not to
question their salvation, but to remember Jesus. To maintain their walk and
witness, and straighten up when going astray. A good policy, better than an oil
change. Jesus tells us to work our our salvation daily, not that we lose it, or
have to be forgiven again-once saved all sin is forgiven, past, present, and
future. But He advises us to stay in the Word, developing our minds and hearts
to be like Him. To spend time in prayer, and listening to Him, avoiding a
costly mistake by obeying, rather than sacrificing later. Just like missing a
day of walking takes three days to recover, missing out on church can set you
back weeks trying to catch up. You only know what you missed after you miss
it. But it takes work, and some commitment to Christ to grow in Him. And it
not only makes life better, but how much better when it comes time to trade this
old body for the new one. A quick wash and oil change before heaven may get you
in, but the lack of service records will show how you really lived, or rode.
And strangely enough, we can all see what you can’t or won’t. So try going by
the owner’s manual, the Bible, and see how your life can improve, and also
improve the lives of others. Whether you can hear it or not, your car says much
about you-are you listening? You may be shocked to know who is.
So don’t be surprised if I won’t lend you my rides. Get your own, and just
like your walk with Jesus, maintain it. Treasure it, and be the example for
others you can be in Him. What about your life would make me want to be a
Christian? If only you knew what others say, if your car could talk, what would
it say? Better yet, what has it been telling you?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com