Thursday, February 5, 2015

to each stupid action, there is a stupid reaction













The other night a man confessed to me his first crime was breaking into a school, and spraying graffiti.  Leaving only their initials in paint to claim victory, they couldn’t understand why the police caught them.  How did they know their names?  They had only left their initials...There I was riding along at 136 in a 55 zone, when I got pulled over.  Who was I to blame?  Where is a riding partner when you need one?  Another night my friend was found sleeping off too much wine in his truck.  When he responded to not knowing about any accident, when they brought him his rear bumper with the license plate still attached, his brilliant response was “I don’t know.”  Another time we ran from the cops at over 100 mph, and when asked why we ran, Bouke told them “because you were chasing us.”  And he bought it, actually he was, he admired our bikes, and rode fast himself.  And loved the answer.  I don’t think this one ever got recorded in his daily log.  Who was to blame when BH wheelied and ended up on the trunk of a Plainfield PD car?  The girl he was trying to impress?  When Greg got caught stealing records, his answer was “I just wanted to put them in my car, then I was going back to pay for them.”  Sometimes though it is trick questions, like last name first, first name last, how many fail that test?  Or like my answer when told by an old boss to quit asking questions, I replied “why?”  It seems that to every stupid action, a stupid reaction is required.  When asked why he was shooting at the guy chasing him, his reply was “because I thought I’d hit him.”  Remember Inspector Clousseau petting the dog, getting bit.  “Does your dog bite?” he asked,  and after getting bit, the man behind the counter replied “no, it’s not my dog.” 
When the Byrds had a hit with Turn, Turn, Turn putting words from Ecclesiastes into tune, they could have added a time to be stupid, a time to be smart, a time to pull over, a time to run, and a time to answer and a time to shut up.  Not found in the original text, but true just the same.   But yet some events happen to us, without our OK.  Geno one time riding my R90S blew by in triple digits.  The look of horror on his face told me there was a problem, and after thinking to turn off the key, the bike came to a stop.  One cable to the Dell O’rtos had broken, leaving the carburetor in full open position.  But with still enough power after disconnecting it to ride 70 with only one carb.   How many have slammed on the brakes when the car started to skid, just adding to the skidding?  Ever caught with Oreo crumbs on your shirt, and chocolate on your face, denying you ate them?  We even had a teacher once that would catch us when playing Simon Says.  She would cleverly say “Simon says jump up,” and we would.  Then all be busted because she “didn’t say jump down.”  Simon says “$%#*& you.”  When asked if a friend would take a look at a car of mine not running right, his reply, “park it over there so I can see it.”  Another time I offered am, “can I lend you a hand?”  His reply, “I’d look awfully funny with three hands.”  But some of the classics come from MAD magazine’s “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.”  “Have an accident?”  “No thanks, I just had one.”  Well, it is said that humor is the purest form of truth....after a lunch with Marcia and her sister, where she was particularly funny, she was told to quit acting stupid.  “I’m not acting!” was her reply, and all of those offended now had to laugh.  So we all have quick quips, pre-practiced responses ready for whatever situation we may find ourselves in. 
But one question asked is “who is Jesus?”  The replies range from great teacher, rabbi, philosopher, author-although he inspired, he never wrote any books, religious man, and revolutionary.  But while all may have an grain of truth, the correct answer is he is God, and man, and the son of God.  Also the son of man.  Confused.  Don’t try to figure it out, just go with it.  He is fully man, and fully God.  The only way we could and can be saved.  Not a stupid question, but still lots of stupid answers.  With one funny one standing out.  A handwritten graffiti on a wall said “Jesus saves.”  And underneath it someone wrote, “and at today’s prices that is a miracle.”  If they only knew how true that is.  But he can save us from sin, from misery, from heartache, and from many forms of stupid.  Yet so often when we pray asking, we don’t wait for his answer.  Or worse yet, don’t like it.  And make it worse.  Even the Jews when  led out of captivity by Moses, complained about the manna God fed them.  And the shoes that never wore out.  Yet they wanted to go back to Egypt and be slaves, because the food was better.  Yet they entered the promised land and not Moses.  Even today many ask questions about Jesus, yet won’t listen or consider the truth.  Again this man who once sprayed graffiti, leaving his initials, told me God couldn’t save him.  Because he hadn’t seen him.  He felt seeing was believing, God tells us without faith it is impossible to please him, for believing is seeing.  The psycho field has a term for it, normalcy bias, because I haven’t seen or experienced it, it doesn’t exist.  Brought to you by the same wise folks who claim you are insane if you do the same thing expecting a different result.  Got me there.  Yet by denying God, they still expect to go to heaven, how can they believe in heaven without Jesus?  Maybe some quick graveside inspections might prove Jesus’ claim of resurrection.  His is empty, Mohammed is in his, so is Buddha.  So is Joseph Smith, and Brigham Young.  And yours will be full to if you don’t accept Jesus, by faith.  Yet many seek him, but don’t find.  They don’t want him, they want a genie in a lamp to take care of all their problems, no matter how self inflicted they are.  Some religions make you take a course, getting a diploma.  Some take works, some make no promises, but hope only there is no hell.  With God it takes only faith.  Believing in your heart, and not being afraid to tell what he has done for you.  But what if you are dumb and cannot speak?  To the dissenter, I offer the fruit of the spirit.  Love, joy, peace, patience, and the list goes on.  You will change and others will notice it. 
Where we once played Simon Says, maybe we need to remember what Jesus says.  “You must be born again.”  Makes no sense, physically you cannot be, but spiritually you must be.  So you can be, but not without Jesus.  Where you get stupid reactions to stupid questions, the answer to who Jesus is is never stupid.  And it is given with an open book test, no studying to be saved, just a change of heart, taking a chance based on faith.  Hoping, and finding out that he is the truth you were looking for.  Don’t get busted by being cute...only Jesus saves.
Some choose Tom Waits’ way, they rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.  Some would rather wait, after all they have time.  Isn’t Jesus just for old people and women?  How wrong can you be?  Thomas Watson founder of IBM once said he thought a market for only five computers existed.  Harry Warner wondered whoever wanted to hear actors talk?  Man will never fly, or walk on the moon.  The Mets will never win the pennant, and the Dodgers will be in Brooklyn forever.  Some may tell you it’s a tradition we never do in our family.  Some deny gravity, until they fall.  Do not deny Jesus.  He is fact, he is God.  Do not let other people’s opinions become a burden to you.  Going to hell is a self inflicted wound, your choice.  Jesus came to save.  Your choice.  And in today’s world, it is still a miracle.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com