Thursday, December 7, 2017

apples for the poor and toothless












There is an old tale about four blind men encountering an elephant, and trying to describe it.  One grabs its trunk and says it is like a snake.  Another grabs its leg and describes it as a tree trunk.  Still a third touches its side and describes it as a wall, while the last one grabs his tail, and describes it as a rope.  All men are right in what they felt and described, yet they are all wrong as they only encountered parts of the elephant and never got the whole picture.  A lot of life is like that, we make snap decisions based on a quick encounter, but fail to see the whole picture.  An encounter after church one morning with a nurse tells me how motorcycling is deadly, based on her ER experiences.  Harley guys cruise at the high speed of 65, sport bike guys ride at over 100, and go faster in the curves, yet adventure riders aren’t content until the pavement ends, and the road continues on.  All are the same sport, but each rider sees his ride different. 
Years ago if you wanted the ultimate performance, you rode a liter bike, now you can get the same or better performance from a 600, which coincidentally costs the same as liter bikes of a decade ago.  Metric cruisers try to compete with Harley, Indian has given them a wakeup call, Harley is trying to market a sport bike, and everyone now wants to follow BMW’s lead with their best selling GS 1200.  Trying to predict the next riding trend keeps designers up late, managers looking for trends, and today’s rider wondering what his next new bike will be.  In each case, they are trying to figure out what we want, but really they are more interested in what will sell.  And like the four blind guys and the elephant, each address a part of motorcycling, but somehow never ask the elephant, us how we feel.
Years ago the old dog food story was told, of a company meeting and the new release of a new dog food.  The new ads were shown, the new packaging, and new ad campaign.  The profit picture was shown, and the managers wives were already spending their bonus checks.  The room took on a pep rally atmosphere, until one man asked the question, “what do the dogs think of it?  Have they tried it yet?”  And the room went quiet....No one had thought to ask the dog if he liked it.  Ministry to some people is the same thing, one church has old clothes, so gives them to a second hand store, who then has to throw them out.  Not too many homeless need expensive gowns.  A youth group goes out and gives away apples to the poor, which go uneaten, they never considered their lack of teeth and how the apples cannot be eaten.  It being Christmas season and many toy runs are going on, yet the rest of the year, who cares about these kids?  Many times the ministry we see on the street is like the rich man who stands up in church and gives $1000-anonymously.  All things are good, but not all are productive.  No one took the time to ask the homeless, the motorcycle rider, the dog, or the elephant his point of view, or what he wanted.  Sorta like Job and his friends....
Job’s three friends gave him good advice, but never considered the man and his mental or emotional condition.  In stress and distress, they read his attitude as a man in sin, not a man in misery.  “Job’s misery must be a result of his sin,” and then condemn him, never considering his feelings.  Yet we see a depth to Job in his response to his wife, who is condemned in religion as a bitter and sinful woman, telling her husband to just curse God and die.  But Job’s response gives us real insight to the man, he tells her you are not yourself, you are acting out of character.  He sees deep into her situation, the others are just ready to judge. She too has lost everything....remember that next time your burger comes with onions and you didn’t ask for them.  They give advice, bad here, and go on thinking what a great job they did.  But where is the love.....they never considered God’s character.  How often we react like that to people in distress we have all the answers, we fail to ask the right questions.  Yet many study to find themselves approved, but in reality are looking for loopholes for their sin.  Bragging of God, quoting Jesus, but never knowing him, let alone asking him for guidance.
Like Job’s friends do we consider God in situations?  Do we pray for them, leaving the answer open to the spirit, or do we condemn them in our words?  The book of Job is filled with many prayers, yet they are all his to God, no one else’s.  Which part of the elephant are you grabbing?  A snake or a tree?  Do you ride you Harley on gravel roads, or your adventure bike only on pavement?  A friend of mine spent $7000 to make his Harley go fast, yet never rides over 70.  Another friend has the cleanest leathers, yet his tires have the widest chicken strips.  Some own a motorcycle, some of us ride.  Some are religious, some know Jesus.  Some give advice, some fail to take it.  But in every situation, have we stopped to ask “where is Jesus?”  Not what would Jesus do? if you are a Christian you shouldn’t have to ask, but where is he in this situation?  A test or a punishment.  Even Satan had more insight than Job’s friends, yet many are so busy judging others they fail to see how they misquote scripture when doing it.  Maybe we all just need to go for a ride....
You don’t know what my last phone call was, good or bad.  Yet we are quick to judge, no smile and it’s “what’s his problem?”  When really you are the problem.  So ask God who gives abundantly, including good advice and wisdom.  A good shepherd knows the route he is on, and protects his sheep.  Our great shepherd knows the plans he has for us, for growth, security, and how to deal with danger.  He wants to be part of our lives, and he wants us part of his.  So maybe we need to ask the same question the man at the dog food rally asked, “what does God think of it?”  Have you considered God, or are you acting like a foolish woman?  God knows your character, do you know his?  Or is you relationship with him just another feel good toy run.....if you have to ask, he’ll understand.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com