An article about the 2002, the BMW 2002, the car that put BMW on the map in
the US of A and elsewhere, reminded me of when I started to drive, and the
allure of European sports cars. Now the Brits will tell you to be a sports car,
the top must go down, and open air motoring is the real test. But BMW marketed
their sporty car as a sports sedan, and without knowing it, created a whole new
market in the states. And of all people, my Dad, the ultimate non-car guy
introduced them to me. He drove Ramblers, four door sedans and wagons, as all
good young fathers did back in the sixties. Economical, well built, and lasted
forever, they never won over any young man’s heart for cruising for girls. They
physically were not attractive, had mostly sixes when eights ruled, and had fold
down front seats that turned into a bed. Turning that nice responsible young
man in the Rambler into a potential sex fiend when dating their daughter. But
someone showed an article to my Dad of the 1600, the smaller engined 2002, and
it had been named one of the ten best in the world by Road & Track. And
that was enough for him, he sold his VW Bug, the Rambler would soldier on for
another couple of years, and he owned a BMW.
Back then the British imported more cars than the Germans, and the common
question was “British what?” Today many still don’t know what BMW stands for,
or care, as it is a yuppie sign of I made it, or really “I can afford the
payments, barely,” but it stands for Bavarian Motor Works. And is very German
in all aspects.
More than a few eyebrows were raised by owners of Corvettes, Jaguars, and
Fiat Spyders when this little sedan dusted them in the corners. Able to hold
four semi-comfortably, still get 22 mpg, and ride great, it opened up the sports
sedan market, competing with Alfa Romeo, Fiat, MGB GT, Opel Manta, and other
European sedans in the early seventies. His car was British Racing Green, Turf
in BMW language, and in 1971 sold it to me, so he could buy a new 1972. So my
first car was a BMW, the only one I would ever own. How far we have fallen to
the yuppies of today. $1900 of my hard earned paper route, yard cutting, and
allowance money went into that car, which took me everywhere. A trip to Florida
with Brennan, many rides into the Jersey countryside, and many a trip to the
Poconos. Within 3 years I put over 65,000 hi-test miles on it, when finally the
engine gave up. But that is another story, the statute of limitations may not
have run out. But run that BMW did, and today’s little Japanese cars with loud
exhausts and negative cambered rear wheels are here today because of the BMW
2002. Mention a 2002 BMW to any uneducated BMW owner, they think it is a 14
year old car, the year 2002. But when 1977 hit, and the 320i replaced it, many
a young and older street racer went scrambling looking for one. The days of the
2002 were over, but not forgotten. And I can say I had one.
I believe the world today still needs a car like the 2002, affordable,
fast, light, quasi-reliable, something missing 40 years ago, and fun. Watching
a GM commercial of young adults flipping out over 4 door sedans, electronics,
and miles per gallon almost make me puke. Touch screens, i-pod ready, and power
windows, power and heated seats, cruise control, voices to tell you your door is
open, and cars that start with a button are not for me. Do any of these people
know how to drive or could even drive a stick? By coincidence, my older son in
Spain a few years ago had a BMW as a rental, and because he was the only one who
drive a stick, got all the seat time. And his friends were amazed he could
drive one, “wow, where did you learn that?” In our house, it was driver’s ed.
101, rather than point and steer. But what if we could have a car that was fun
to drive, could cost under $10,000, got good gas mileage, would go fast and be
cool all at the same time? It’s out there, no KIA and Hyundai are not it. No
Honda, Fiesta, Metro, or Dart can make it. Give up...it is called a motorcycle,
and for well under $10 grand, you too can experience the joy of driving, ‘er
riding again. You may not be able to go back, but you can ride ahead. Is it
any coincidence that BMW started out making motorcycles, and sells some great
hi-performance ones today? “British what” you ask? Let them drive
Ramblers.
Being a Christian is fun, or at least it should be. What good is fun if
you don’t enjoy it, and we Christians should have more reasons than anyone to
have fun. Yet I encounter many who worship at the hall of Our Lady of Perpetual
Sorrows, who treat Christian life as a set of rules to be obeyed, or are cast
out from their church. I haven’t heard about freedom talked about in regards to
Christ from any pulpit in a long time, isn’t freedom from sin an attribute of
salvation? Isn’t the freedom to choose Jesus or to reject who he is our
choice? Can’t get much more freer than that, God instituted freedom in his
choice to save us by showing us his love first, so we could choose to be free,
or enjoy our being bound. Bound from which the root word of religion comes
from, so if you are religious you are bound by a set of rules, codes of conduct,
and ways to worship God. Many times instituted by men, who seek to control
you. “We know best for you,” and then don’t live the live themselves. When
Pearl sang of freedom as “just another word for nothing left to lose,” she
missed it, for freedom isn’t free, Jesus paid a huge price for us to be free, in
him. “Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty,” freedom to be who and
all we can be in Christ. Only our earthly minds, our belief systems, and fear
keep us from all God has for us.
When we accept Jesus we get this freedom, the burden of sin forgiven, and
joy and grace are abundant. Yet many will not cash in, still feeling not
worthy. And we aren’t but Jesus is and took our place. Yet many choose to live
like sheep, sheep without a shepherd. Who are so dumb we wonder away through
the hole in the fence, but cannot find our way back through the same hole. We
need the spirit to guide us, not more rules and programs to amuse us. We need
to come face to face with truth, and trust it. Jesus is truth....do you trust?
Or are you like the GM commercial, enamored by what life has to offer that the
sizzle sells you the steak, and leaves you hungry after? Or sushi? It takes
commitment, and faith to step out and be different in Christ. So many want or
be like someone else, how many seek to live as Jesus did? No not wearing a robe
and sandals, but living a life of freedom, knowing that when we fail we re
forgiven and go on, but also being guided by the spirit and reaping incredible
blessings? Jesus forgave us, do you forgive yourself?
I almost got run down by a BMW driver the other day, with Jesus stickers
all over her car. Has our witness, our freedom fallen so far as to have a
sticker announce we are one? So others can look out for us? Who still cannot
drive, but can afford the payments? For he who is set free is truly free, free
from worry, sin, aggression, fear, and you can add to your own list. Do you
think you are free because someone tells you so, or are you truly free in Jesus
Christ? Do you brag about the freedom you earned or paid for, or do you answer
as Paul did, “I was born free?” Born again free that is. The word free is
found 59 times in the Bible, KJV, but never think it has no value. It is
priceless, and cannot be bought. Yet Jesus paid a price for your freedom, don’t
you think maybe you should go out and enjoy the life he gave you?
Progress is a good thing, but sometimes it goes on too long. Go back to
the beginning, to Jesus 101. Let him set you free. Enjoy the curves of life
rather than avoiding them. Learn to drive or ride, rather than just hang on as
a passenger. Find a use for that left leg in your car, learning to master a
clutch. Don’t be stuck when all the tools are there, but you don’t know how to
use them. Trust God and enjoy life. Walk with Jesus, and have fun. Fun for me
is seeing lives changed by him, seeing people set free from drugs, bad
relationships, cancer, and yes religion. Jeremiah warns of not harkening the
liberty God gives us, some choose to worship and live under statutes of liberty,
Jesus offers us the stature of his love as liberty. You choose....are you as
much a fanatic about your God as you are your car?
BMW changed the way we drive in 1969, Jesus changed the way we live 2000
years ago. Fun and freedom are yours, the liberty to be yourself. Something to
consider the next time you call him Lord. And don’t do the things he says. Are
we having fun yet?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com