“You really like riding on the back of motorcycles? Doesn’t it scare you?
Wouldn’t you rather ride it yourself?” Yes, no, yes. Yes, I like to ride,
period, and from time to time if I need a ride, the back seat of a bike is
fine. No, worrying about soccer moms doing the i-phone lap dance while heading
towards you, I rather just sit back and relax. And yes, I will only ride with
someone who knows how to, or in an emergency, and knows I am not impressed by
their speed or showing off. So I relax and am not scared. But yes, I still
rather ride, but if I have a passenger, years ago I learned that courtesy will
get you a second date, and not scare off all her friends while you were being a
hot dog. AKA a jerk. You may think you are going slow, but to her it feels
fast, just like in a car it always feels faster from the passenger seat. Don’t
let her first ride be one of hanging on for dear life, while mounted on a skinny
seat, that the manufacturer thought to put a vinyl cover on so it wouldn’t
rust. Show some respect....you might get some seat time someday. Or marry her,
and want her to come along. And enjoy overnighters, rather than the 2 hour ride
she allows. Alone.
A biker friend of mine and his wife ride together, they have for like 30
years. She unwillingly obliged him on his skinny seat, until one day he bought
a custom seat, and suddenly she can walk after a ride, wants to go with him, and
last year did a two week vacation. All by changing the position where she
sits. And now he has to tell everyone they need a custom seat, because of how
it changed his marriage and his rides. Of course many of us knew this for
years, but he is a great cheerleader for it now. Better late than never. Happy
wife, happy life. And nothing beats having your wife want to ride with you,
unless she wants her own ride herself. So when searching for a new travel bike,
a consideration is the passenger. Some must be surrounded by 1000 pounds of
Honda to enjoy, some have to have the same weight of a V-twin. We ride ADV
bikes, smoother than a Gold Wing, sport bike handling, great gas mileage,
comfortable, and when two of us park next to each other, we weigh as much as the
above. And we both ride in comfort, those custom buttons on the seat turn into
knives after 100 miles, and though padded soft, compress under any weight in a
few miles. Add a few inches only of wheel travel, you are riding on an old
mattress, where it dips in the middle from your weight. No wonder you didn’t
sleep well last night....or felt like it after 100 miles.
To each his own, but when taking a passenger, consider them too. Your
skills may impress others on the track, but to the cop who stops you for going
to fast, even though others passed you, somehow missing the eight others texting
he passed to catch you, ride safely, and with concern for others. And while it
always seems faster from the passenger seat, it is always slower from the back
seat of a police cruiser.
I know a couple, in particular, who were taught witnessing is browbeating a
person about Jesus. That is all they talk about, and in one case I know of,
after a weekend stuck with them, their guests finally gave in, the attitude of
“if I say yes, will you leave me alone?” And they go on thinking they saved
someone, when really all they did was run them off. So I become suspicious of
those standing on street corners holding signs and shouting about Jesus.
Personally they scare me, I cross the street to avoid them, and combined with a
bad theology run others off. Armed with the theology of winning an argument,
most wouldn’t know what to do if someone really wanted to know about Jesus, and
get eaten with a fork and spoon by someone who has been trained, but not saved,
and who argues better. Maybe if they cared about others enough to love them, to
share Jesus first in actions and attitudes, then back it up with words, the
results maybe different. And their lives too. I had a goofy pastor once, who
would get all excited in preaching, and then proclaim “I know good preaching
when I hear it, and that was it.” While we looked for the door. We heard
something much different. But last night we had a new man with us, who was
raised in church, go to Dustin Arms with us. A flop house, but a nice one, he
commented after how one man brought his laundry with him and smelled bad. He
didn’t think he would come back with us, what was this man’s problem, why didn’t
he wash first? What makes him think he would be invited back? And when I
responded “that is the people we are looking for, the least of them, that Jesus
compare himself too,” he got quiet. I don’t think he will return, get in your
Prius and ride to church, telling the person in church next to you what great
Christian you are because you go to a Bible study. But never go out and see
life as Christ did, and does. Why would I want to be like him?
If it works in church, it may work in riding too. I know many who want to
ride, then hear loud bikes, see stoppies and wheelies, or have almost hit
someone while they lane split. Kindness is a fruit of the spirit, you heard it
here, I hope not for the first time. So I ask those who browbeat, shout, pass
out tracts that litter the ground, and only want to win an argument, “what is it
about you that would want to make me become a Christian?” Another way to become
unpopular...but something we need to ask ourselves, what does our life show
about Jesus? He came to save and rescue, are you throwing an anvil of love to a
sinking soul? Or embracing them as they are, just like Jesus did for you? Do
you only seem to know it all because your audience doesn’t? And I wonder, did
our first time visitor last night ever consider helping this man with his
clothes? See if he had toiletries? Had the sweet smell of salvation left him,
if it had ever been there to start with?
Would Jesus be comfortable with your riding, or would he look for another
ride? Something to consider when taking a buddy seat sitter along. And also in
witnessing. How do you introduce Jesus to others? That one first impression
may cement in the minds forever what a jerk you are, or see the side of love
many only hear about, but don’t see. Jesus is along for the ride, and when we
call him Lord, he is in control, we sit on back or in the passenger seat. Just
a thought that might change your mind about kindness and sharing Christ while
riding. Sin knows no boundaries, for all have sinned and fallen short. Today
you can offer the seat of salvation to a tired butt, who just needs a rest along
with a ride. Changing the attitude of those you ask to church, asking someone
to church is not witnessing, or even evangelism. That first date could turn
into a life long spouse, or become your worst advertisement for riding. You may
be the only book on riding they ever read bout riding....and the only
illustration. Just something to think about, rather than telling me what you
know, show me you care. Then I might want to hear about your God. Or even ride
to church with you. Now about helmet head....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com