Thursday, September 22, 2016

one morning by the side of the road















We were never much of a cruising crowd, we preferred to be out riding.  But good news travels fast, and bad news even faster, and bad news had gotten around about our bikes.  It’s 1974, and BH’s Honda 750 had a Rickman Café Racer kit on it, Bouke had a Yoshimura Z-1, an early one, and I had an R90S.  We were all about fast vehicles, but really our hearts were about fast motorcycles.  We were young, foolish and proud of it, and loved to ride.  Saturday mornings were already preset, weekday eves after dinner had us in the garage doing final adjustments, very necessary 45 years ago.  Lubing cable, changing oil, replacing tires, and various tune up work-plugs, points, and condensor were part of the job, but a fun job.  Bench racing until late, the smell of racing castor and racing gas filled the garages, it was a true love affair.  And then Saturday made it all worthwhile.  Many times Geno and his R75/5 would join us, along with others that had lesser bikes.  Even the Wildman on his H1 Kawi, still in high school hung out, it was all about motorcycles, and then all about the ride.
Now when BH and I moved into the apartment complex, Bouke was already there, and well known around town for his fast cars and bikes.  Also famous for driving his 1962 Corvette through the front door of the Grand Union, by accident, but that is another story.  His garage was set up like a bike shop, with even an air compressor, spare parts, and off course his talent to fix anything.  And he could ride...a local hero as we were to find out.
One sunny New Jersey morning, the date escapes me but due to sunshine on a Saturday, it was a local holiday for awhile, Bouke, BH, and I set out for a ride.  Really a let’s chase Bouke and see if we can catch him ride.  We had been riding very fast, even for us, and I was drafting Bouke, we used to call it tailgating.  Suddenly he slowed, pulled up next to me and pointed to his rear view mirror.  All we could see was flashing lights and grill of a New Jersey State Police trooper car, the fast ones with the 440, as described in the Blues Brothers. He then looked at me, I nodded, and we took off. Leaving the cruiser in our wake, along with BH on his Honda.  But back in these days of respecting, but not obeying the police, we finally stopped, and waited for BH, and the inevitable ticket.  What happened next surprised all of us.
Turns out the man behind the badge was a Captain, never good news.  And his opening line surprised us.  “That thing is fast,” pointing at the Honda, “that thing is faster,” pointing at me, “but that thing. it’s insane!”  pointing at Bouke.  And he demanded to see our licenses, I figured mine was going away, and our registration.  And here it got interesting.  Bouke had a plate on his Z-1 from an old Triumph, the rest of us were OK, street legal at least in that regard.  And we were just waiting for the flat bed to come and take our bikes when he said “paced you boys at 115,” and we said nothing.  “You have a Triumph plate on your bike,” pointing at Bouke.  “But I ride too, I guess it will be a ticket for no registration.”  And we were shocked.  Which cost us each $15.  He later told us he would not have ticketed us at all, except he had called us in, thinking the bikes were stolen, an early reference to ride it like you stole it.  And before leaving, gave us his business card, to keep in touch, and let us go. 
Now Bouke who always appeared cool and fearless was shaking.   Visibly shaken.  And after the trooper left, told us why.  His friend a year ago had shot his brother in a mercy killing.  And before it was investigated, Bouke was a suspect, as he was there when the police showed up.  The same captain we had just met.  Who even if he recognized Bouke, didn’t say anything.  The brother who had killed his brother by request, had made big news because it was a mercy killing, still in court.  Let’s say we rode a bit slower the rest of the day.  True story, I wish I had kept his card, it got lost in one of my moves.  But it really happened...paced at 115, who really knows how fast we went leaving him in the dust.
It is very easy to get wrapped up in material goods, to worship them, and collect them.  Big houses, fast cars, faster motorcycles, some even have trophy wives and kids.  They worship at the altar of me, with the saying “he who dies with the most toys wins,” forgetting he still dies.  And when a Christian has nice things, many times they are chastised for it, by people who don’t have, and are really jealous.  Then there are some who live in poverty, and stick out even worse than the rich, claiming a vow of poverty and claiming to be more righteous.  And both share a common denominator, selfishness.  For they are all about themselves, wanting the attention, to make a statement.  To the rich “wow you must really be cool,” and to the poor, “wow you must be very righteous.”  The illusion until they are unmasked.  But what does God have to say about riches, and poverty?
Paul reminds us that the heart set on God seeks and lives in the spirit, while the fleshly have their minds set on the flesh.  The heart tells the truth, not the lifestyle sometimes.  God likes to bless his kids, but he wants to get the glory.  And our mindset and attitude will reveal to others, often before we know it, where our heart lies.  I know men who wake up and check their net worth every morning, and give to the poor, hire AIDS victims and live humbly.  I also know many more who live way beyond their means, “fake it until you make it” their creed, their heart set on self, far away from God.  You see we all want nice things, to have money, nice cars, a home on the hill, and a motorcycle for every mood.  Nothing wrong with that, unless it is the only thing, your mind set on the flesh and worldly things.  We like to have money to buy things, have fun, be healthy, and enjoy life to the fullest.  OK, so we are all normal, what separates comes next.  That is normal, and nothing wrong with that, unless that is all you want, all you desire.  Scripture tells us to look at life in the spirit, to seek Jesus first, then all these things will be added unto us.  But again be wary, for those who judge you most harshly, the ones who memorize more verses, carry the biggest Bible, have all the stickers on their cars about Jesus, and all station selects set to KWVE are missing it.  Their life too is all about themselves, seeking attention to show how religious they are, just not righteous.  All about me shows up at any social and financial level, and God knows.  Now before you set out to go logging, telling those to remove the splinter of sin from their lives, not seeing the log in yours, let’s remember the spirit.  So how do you live with your mind set on the spirit? 
First your attitude will reveal Jesus in your life.  While our flesh wants the glory for our hard work, the spirit gets neglected.  But when we see it is the spirit who provided, when we glorify God in these things, our value system changes and everything in it.  We can praise God from whom all blessings flow.  The spirit doesn’t remove us from life, but adds life to our things, and we can enjoy them more.  We can see things through God’s eyes, and enjoy life while enjoying life in the spirit, and the things added to us.  It should start with love, joy, and peace, not end that way, as an add on.  Are you seeking things, or things from God, or the things of God? 
When your mind is set on the spirit, it sees spiritual things.  You have all the resources of heaven available to you.  Not just your own understanding.  God is the authority on you, he knows you best, we tend to lie or distort ourselves, to please others.  But in the spirit we can be who we are, accepted and loved, and we can do that to others.  God wants his children happy and blessed, which is why he sent his only son, Jesus to save us.  Not to punish, but to save.  Get to know him and be amazed at what he has for you.  When he is the desire of your heart, he will fulfill every desire he gives you.  If not, I have repented many times to an unsympathetic officer on the side of the road.  I was only sorry until I got caught again.
If religion ain’t making it, whether at church or in your possessions, try Jesus.  The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.  But God will honor your weakness when you choose him first.  For where your heart is so will you riches be.  Dying with the most toys is no victory, living in Christ, guided by the spirit is.  We all die, we all don’t win.  Here’s your chance to win, with Jesus.  For the things which are seen are temporal, the things not seen eternal. So get out and live, you’ll never know what you are missing until you meet the Lord.
And thank God for all the things your friends have, one might just let you borrow his new motorcycle you cannot afford.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com