It was the summer of 1973, and the aroma of Woodstock was still in the
air. So a mini-Woodstock, a big event today was planned, and BH and I decided
to ride up to it after work. Billed as the Summer Jam, it was to take place in
Watkins Glen, New York, home of the fabled and famed auto racing. A beautiful
area to ride, the show was to consist of The Dead, The Band, and The Allman
Brothers, all for $10. I still have my Ticketron ticket to prove it, as we got
close, but never quite made it. But that is another story. The story today is
about a man on a BMW like mine who we met at the fork in the road. And we
decided to take it, to stop and help a fellow rider who had a flat tire. But
first let’s set the scene...
The small and windy two lane roads perfect for gentle riding are jammed for
miles. Dozens of miles, and the sun is setting. Coming upon a fork in the
road, we see a blue BMW motorcycle parked under a tree in the fork. Others more
fortunate than he were hanging out, taking a respite from the crowd, so we
stopped. His rear tire was flat, and had no idea how to use the excellent BMW
tire patch kit and pump. So being experienced, I helped him get the tire off,
broke it down, patched the tube, and we took a breather. Hot, in the nineties
both heat and humidity, we sat under a tree and talked. No hurry, as the
traffic was saying “you ain’t going nowhere fast tonight,” when suddenly a big
car came rushing towards us. As we watched in shock, it swerved to avoid us,
narrowly missing everybody, but running over the rear tire I had just repaired.
Bending it into a V shape, and unusable. As fast as the car had appeared, it
vanished into the night. How I still cannot figure, but it was here and gone
that quick, our new found friend would not be so fortunate. His ride was over,
and we parted relieved and sad, we had stopped to help, only to be eventually
disappointed by an errant and careless driver. It seems when you come to a fork
in the road, you have more than two choices, and this time the driver chose the
road less travelled. And with apologies to the poet, “the BMW rider’s life has
never been the same.”
Yes and no answers are often hidden by a maybe, requiring no commitment, or
action. Wait for the other guy to make his move, and when he fails, sweep in
and claim victory. For us that night it was the fork in the road, but for one
Samaritan, it was coming upon a wounded man on a dangerous highway. It seemed
the two religious men found plausible excuses within their religion to not stop
and provide assistance, turning a blind eye and even crossing the road to avoid
him, hoping they wouldn’t be seen in their sin, a far cry from the worship they
demanded when walking the streets. But we see a hated Samaritan, a half breed,
not only pick him up, but put him on his donkey while he walks, and sets him up
at an inn. Having such a good reputation that the innkeeper trusts him to pay
any moneys owed when he returns on behalf of the injured man. A man of
questionable heritage, but not one of questionable morals, and today his actions
still speak louder than words, as does the two religious men.
In the Samaritan we see a heart after Jesus, willing to stop and assist
when no one else will. Ministering to the hurt and less fortunate can be
demanding, but Jesus never lets us down. As I watch fine men of religion brag
hiding from behind a pulpit, I see the down and out just outside, some even
within view, who are neglected. Society can be cruel, but when the church turns
it back on the needy, they neglect the words of Jesus, “anyone who helps the
lesser ones is really doing it to me.” Maybe put a better way, how many
Lazaruses did you step over today? We don’t have to go looking for people to
minister to, God puts them in our way, yet we see them as in our way. Jesus
sees it different, and yet we claim to be like him? Keeping a safe distance,
never taking into account we were once like the ones, maybe not in social
appearance, but lost and without God. When you come to a fork in the road, do
you choose Jesus or the easy way out for yourself? Don’t lie, we may know you
better than you want us to.
And so that night after doing all we could, we left the BMW rider. We had
gone as far as we could, and we felt bad leaving him, but knew it was the right
thing to do. Someone else would come along with the truck needed, maybe a
better way to see it is in Paul’s advice to the Corinthians. “Paul planted,
Apollos watered, but it was God who provided the growth.” Simply put, just do
what the spirit shows you to do in the situation. You may not be a doctor, but
can provide first aid. You may not be an evangelist, but you can show the love
of Christ. You may not be a mechanic, but can help by not helping. Or knowing
who to call. Some 45 years later I still feel bad about leaving the guy, we did
all we could, and it was time to go on. There were two men who came to the fork
in the road that night, one stopped and helped, the other damaged and sped off.
You see in between the fork is the area we spend most of our lives, the in
between times. And where your life in Christ is witnessed. Jesus will always
leave the choice up to us, the rich man chose to step over Lazarus. But later
begged him from hell for a drink. Maybe God said it best, when David wept over
Absalom whom he loved. When Absalom was found dead, he acknowledged God by
saying, “I can go to him, but he cannot come back to me.” Jesus came for us so
we can go back with him. You reap what you sew, but also what you don’t sew.
Some are still learning to eat with a fork, some coming to one. Only God still
provides the growth. Only by his spirit will you know for sure.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com