Those of us who have a love affair with motorcycles, understand why we
ride, but sometimes have trouble putting it into to words. There was a time
when the advertising geniuses could do it for us, from “Kawasaki let the good
times roll,” to “You meet the nicest people on a Honda,” to the Triumph “expert
vs. enthusiast ad,” we all knew what they were talking about. The language was
familiar to what we knew to be true, and the ads brought the desire to us, which
brought us to the stores, and then to the streets. And at least in the above
examples, the good times really did roll, you met the nicest people-notice Honda
never referred to their product as motorcycles, The Wild One still banned in
England at the time, and you had to be an expert, mechanic that is , or know one
to keep your Brit bike rideable. We knew the differences, whose bike was
fastest, who got the best mpg, who wore out tires the fastest, who got the most
tickets, and who got the most girls. Some who weren’t the nicest, but the good
times did roll. But we knew from experiencing riding how accurate the ads were,
even if they stretched the truth a bit. No one ever accused bench racing of
accuracy, but for hours on rainy days and late nights when you couldn’t look
ahead, it was fun to look back. We had a brotherhood based on riding
motorcycles, get four or five of us together and you had the same amount of
brands. We waved at Harleys and they waved back. I even remember an older
biker 1%er on his hardtail coming up to me and telling me how my BMW “was the
Cadillac of motorcycles.” We all knew, we all rode, we just had different
brands to express it. But we all rode!
Today at any rally, it is all Harley, with more Indians showing up.
Cruising the HD store yesterday, I stopped and noticed, they all look the same.
But then so do the owners, black bikes and black leathers. When Triumph
returned 20 years ago, the young crowd thought “Honda what?” The old HD riders
knew and would visit, they all had one once. Today the young are the old, and
if they ride at all, are more owner than rider. Staying within a HOG Group lest
they have to learn about motorcycles, and test their riding ability. The bikes
haven’t changed, riding hasn’t changed, but the riders and the ads have. I grin
when on trips when I see a group of mixed brands riding together, they get it.
And one afternoon with my friend Chuck, Harley or nothing, surprised even me.
Claiming how smooth and fast his new Heritage was, we swapped bikes, and he rode
my RS sport bike. Scared the @#$%^&* out of him, and he admitted, he had
never ridden anything so fast or smooth. But would he own one.....probably
not, what would his friends say? I answered “does it matter, they’ll have to
catch you to tell you.” Be we all ride, and I’m glad we all do. Yet some still
only own.
On any day in a bike shop, you meet owners, but it seems less and less are
riders. The evidence is found on Craigslist, look at all the low mileage ride
for sale, some discounted heavily. Pick a year, or decade, they are there.
Some even throwing in the helmet and jacket. You decide. But it seems they were
really never of us, and when it came time to actually ride, to cross zip codes,
or time zones, to ride where they never had before, the for sale sign went up.
When the first service was due, they got parked, and when the bike wouldn’t
start from a dead battery from non use, it was sold. When you talk with them
their motorcycle experience is jaded, jaundiced with not riding. They were not
ever really of us, but go out and diminish what they never understood. Seems
many Christians are the same.....
We live in the days of anti-Christ, anti meaning instead of. To much there
to get our attention and our worship. Cults such as LDS and JW claim to have a
truth, but stray from the truth of Jesus Christ. They deny his deity, deny his
word, and even deny their members from intermingling with others. Good works
are preached as opposed to the work of the spirit, and it is not only in cults.
From gays in pulpits to abortion and civil rights, they suppress God and his
rights, seeking a lesser gospel that excuses their sin. Social issues rather
than spiritual ones, based on the group rather than the individuals in it.
Cutting themselves off from the true Christianity found in the New Testament,
and creating their own gospel. They deny the gospel because it points out their
failure, missing the salvation message. In truth they were never part of us, 1
John says, for if they were, they would have remained in the truth. They are
the ones who give Christianity a bad name, but it is good to remember, if bad
publicity could destroy a movement, Jesus and the truth would have been gone
long ago. But the truth still sets us free! If only churches in their
campaigns to get donors, I mean members, I mean saved souls could get it.
Unless God builds the church, we labor in vain. We are the church. Lest we
forget. It was Jesus who saved us, the spirit that builds us. There have been
influential men in my life, but never any like Jesus.
So while some look for who is the anti-Christ, they live a life worshipping
him, instead of the living Christ. He is here now, alive and well, his spirit
testifying in believers lives. But yet many fall away, and are not invited
back. Imagine a Craigslist ad like this. “One owner lost soul, once believed
and got lead astray. Stored for many years, all the parts there. Needs a new
owner. Best offer.” Know anyone other than Jesus who would respond? Who could
save? Who would do so without reservation? Yet the chances are there, as one
such experience of mine shows. I got a call from a lady who had a sister who
was in trouble. She was saved, but lost and lonely. Could I hook her up?
Being over 100 miles from her, I called a pastor I knew in her town, who had a
lesser pastor who minsters to these types. Later when she called me, she said
“I was hungry and hurting. I needed someone to talk to, to visit with me, he
advised just read the word.” And was gone, no hugs, no let’s get you some
food. Never asking if she even had a Bible. But undeterred, she hung on to
Jesus, despite bad ministry. Ask yourself, was he of us or out from us? Where
was the love of Matthew 25, doing unto the least of them? God help us to not be
like that.
So seek the spirit today, maybe while riding. Wave at Harleys and Hondas,
BMW’s too, and hope they wave back. We sued to have a brotherhood that I hoped
the church would copy, but it too has gone its own denominational or brand way.
We all own bikes, but we don’t all ride. But the first step is taken,
ownership. All saved have Jesus, but don’t go beyond that, and have him as
Lord. Let Jesus do what no religion can, if one afternoon of windy roads can
free your soul, imagine the time spent with what the time spent with Jesus can
do. Like a powerful ride, you will never know what it is all about until you
twist the throttle. And never know power under control until you meet Jesus.
Advice from one who rides and knows both. Opinions are like Hondas, everybody
has one. Which may explain so many on Craigslist. The truth will still set you
free. And you can let the good times roll, after you meet the nicest person.
So Christian, are you an enthusiast? Or expert? Read the ad, know God.
We may not all ride, but we can all know Jesus.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com