Now somewhere up in the Central Valley lies a town by the name of Dinuba.
Well off the celebrated Hiway 99, and hidden among the orange groves, corn
fields, and almond and pecan trees, it intrigued us enough last spring to visit
it, and found it to be a growing, vital community in the valley. All the
offerings of So Cal without all the traffic...sign me up. So breakfast it was
to be Sunday morning, as we found a place well thought of on Tripadvisor called
“Three finger Jack’s”. We noted the address, found our way, and had an
enjoyable ride for the next 45 minutes, getting hungrier by the moment. Once in
town, Theresa used her i-mistake to have the GPS direct us, and it did...until
it took us into a neighborhood and told us we had arrived at our destination.
If we were looking for a neighborhood and not breakfast, which turned out to be
at the golf course a half mile away, on the other side of the street. Renewing
my lack of faith in the GPS, and delaying our meal. Now in normal times, we
would have looked for an alternate, but being car bound, she typed in the
address, and we were almost there, and within minutes were parking at the
clubhouse/restaurant. Not quite what we had expected, it was much better, and
we parked the Mustang among all the pickup trucks in the lot. We were getting
closer...
The buildings done in a 1930’s craftman’s style were beautiful, inside and
out, with the smell of green grass. We were greeted, sat, and looked out over a
fairway. Food was excellent, try the special, 1970 prices, and all this eaten
at a golf course, and neither of us play golf. And we almost missed it due to
new technology giving us direction. From a place to a place I am sure the
programmer had never seen, let alone heard of. Trusting a 3x5 screen...give me
a map any day. And a pay phone, or be daring, ask a local! But we found it,
and no one was injured.
Sadly like the internet, too many of us trust whatever it says. Like an
email I got this morning, please respond immediately, I have a certified check
for you from a deposed government official. Wonder if that guy knows better
directions? Did it take a GPS to find me, and will they cash it in Dinuba? So
many have fallen for this, and even if you turn them over to the police, they
just move on and try the scam again. It seems there is always someone willing
to gamble with a fortune to be made, or a breakfast to be eaten. Maybe blame it
on being in a car, and not riding. Blame it on being rural, we were. Or on the
Republicans, but I prefer travel by motorcycle, folding maps, and face to face
when I need information. So please, if I ask you a question, or for directions,
don’t whip out your i-something....or we’ll both be lost.
I was interrupted some time ago by a woman who told me I was being
judgmental, “no I’m not, I’m describing you.” I then asked her “why do only
people caught in sin accuse us of judgment, and aren’t you doing that yourself,
judging me?” The name she called me was unprintable here, but we talked later,
she knows me better. I was just describing her and her situation, homeless,
lost and hurting. Not how she wanted to be. Wanting to help, and she knew it.
And she became a regular at our Bible study. Her reaction is normal, admit it,
none of us like to be judged, maybe because we all share the same sins. And
yours are easier to see then mine, so I’ll blame you. First. And as a moral
people, we tend to think we are above pointing a finger at others, and get
defensive when it is pointed at us. But we truly all share common sin, and as
Paul writes, when you condemn an other person, you are also condemning
yourself. Huh? But you don’t know what he did, what he said? But God
does....and we all are sinners falling short of the glory of God. Some are
saved by the blood of Jesus, while others claim their own system of salvation,
but we all enter this world the same way, as sinners. Our choice is to choose
how we leave the earth. And so we try to elude the fact we are sinners, will
continue sinning, and even deny the salvation of Jesus. Our actions and
attitudes telling God we know better, as we know ourselves, don’t we? Or do
we?
I an born blind to the truth, even to myself. We tend to hide the areas we
don’t like, or hide them from others, hoping they see a façade of us instead of
the real us. A Facebook equation, brag and lie, post someone else’s photo,and
hope you never meet. And that the other person is not doing the same! So we
are blind, sometimes by choice as to our real selves, and what we accuse others
of is because we recognize it so well, and won’t admit it is us we learned it
from.
So why others lie and cheat, we bend the truth a little. Others betray, we
are protecting our rights. Some steal, we borrow. Some are prejudiced, we have
convictions, and some sentences. Some murder and kill, we exploit and ruin.
Many times in God’s name. Some rape, while others have a bad date. But again
we all have the commonness that Jesus died for, we are sinners who need a
savior. And he is the one!
So when I describe you, am I painting a self portrait? Am I really that
bad? Drop your stones, as those who thought they had not sinned were instructed
to do, and ask forgiveness. Then forgive others, and lastly, the hardest part,
forgive yourself. For if you don’t, how can you love others like the Bible says
if you do not love yourself? Forgiveness opens the door to love, and being
loved. A map of more than coordinates, a real picture of who and where we are,
and also where we are going. With alternative routes, but only one leading to
Christ. So next time someone accuses you and you tell them “you are making such
a big thing out of nothing,” remember how we condemn others when we accuse
them. Final judge and jury...off with their heads. Aren’t you glad God is God
and we aren’t? And Jesus came to save and love? And forgives? And somehow
despite our best arguments, loves us just as we are? So get the whole picture,
not just a i-something view of life. And of Jesus. Go deeper than religion,
ask the spirit to guide you closer to him, and hang on for the ride of your
life. For man programmed a GPS, only the spirit can program your life, for he
knows the plans for you, plans for success. And for not getting lost. But when
you do, he is right there with you...he not only knows the way, he is the
way.
And Sunday morning it was two non-golfers eating a great breakfast at a
golf course overlooking a fairway. Finally finding the spot despite help from
above-a satellite that is. And being in a car. Despite all the odds against
us, we still found the place. Don’t let religion be as hard as finding a place
to eat. Jesus is as far away as right now, for he is always with us. Even when
lost, he knows just where we are. And when we accuse others....well he knows
the truth about us. “But you don’t understand,” you argue. And you do? Just
be glad Jesus does. That’s grace. And why we should say it before every meal.
Or action. My lack of faith in GPS being renewed by my faith in him. Truly we
all are guilty of the same things.
And thats a three fingered fact...Jack. If only they knew we
rode....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com