It has been said that the best way to make a million in racing is to start with two. And the other question of how fast do you want to go is the answer to how much money do you have? And for many of us with desire, but no funds, there is always a substitute. From the time we were kids, we put baseball cards in your spokes. Cheap horsepower-or at least what sounded faster. At the time anyone with a nickel could buy a pack of them, chew the gum and learn about the players themselves. For instance, did you know that Elio Chacon earned himself the name of "Little Hot Dog" for his colorful clothing he wore while playing in the Venezuelan league? And today with everything being collectible, how many valuable cards gave up their value so we could sound faster? And cooler? Looking back, maybe that horsepower wasn't so cheap, but I would do it again given the chance. In fact, Dick keeps threatening to put cards in Theresa's spokes-if he can find the right player we just might let him!
And as we get older, we found that fast cars were fun, but loud cars got attention. The illusion of speed that so many bikers fall into today. Sometimes from the wrong sources, aka the police, but if you couldn't go faster, at least you could be loud. The theme of many motorcycles today, who seem to miss the message that an exhaust doesn't have to be loud to sound good-just ask my friend Steve Harper. Harp builds exhaust systems, and has for years for anything from Baja racers to Land World speed Record holding cars-tuning is the secret-not the volume. And depending on your money situation, you can go as fast as you want. Silence can also mean faster, and a well tuned exhaust will make its own kind of music. But somehow it can never replace the sound of baseball cards in the spokes of my Schwinn. Certain things are perfect from the get go, and should be left alone. Or at least in memory, protected from reality. But as long as there are bikers, racers, and kids looking for more of a thrill-louder pipes will be the number one antidote for mediocrity.
God's gospel is like that, too. No need to improve on it-it is perfect just the way it is. But yet I see and hear in many churches, pastors getting away from it. Too many churches turning to 40 days of this, or somebody's prayer, or the perfect truth this-when the Bible not only does a better job, but is written by God, not some man. And God warns of these things-not that they are so bad, but when taken on their own can take on the spirit of antichrist. Not the person, but something that takes the place of Jesus. Instead of-the truer meaning. How many follow Rick Warren and his writings-not knowing of some questionable statements not found in the Bible within? I talk to men who have made their gospel the search for the ark, and made it more important then the God who caused it. I hear and see young people get off on 2012-when the Bible tells us not even Jesus knows of the return-let alone a barbaric, cannibalistic race that doesn't exist anymore. There is no salvation in these beliefs-or for those that follow them-without Jesus Christ. Even the 10 Commandments have no salvation in them-only Godly advice on how to have relationships with man and God. You see, it is not how much you miss salvation by, just that you miss. That is the devil's plan. I have found that God's plan is simpler-and has no failure rate-except not to follow it-your choice. And just like we thought baseball cards made us kids go faster, soon they wore out and we were on to something else. Usually quitting when all you had left were the ones of players you liked. Jim Hickman , Tom Seaver, Elio Chacon, and other Mets never made it into the spokes of my bikes. I still have Elio Chacon from 1962 to prove it.
Be reminded-the entertainment value of the Da Vinci Code, the New Age, and other false religions will soon fade into obscurity-but not before they have made many captive or a casualty. I have found if you want the best-go to the best. Spend your money well, get what you pay for, and better yet what you desire. And even better yet, what you need. Jesus paid that price-a simple gospel for a simple people. Only outside of God do you find a system so warped and untrue that is designed to make you fail. So maybe today may be the day to take the cards out of your spokes, to put on a tuned and quieter exhaust and listen to God. Those who have know the falsehoods of loud exhausts-and how they only irritate many others. Leave the cards in the spokes in your memories-the worst thing you can do is try to replay your childhood as an adult-but that doesn't mean you have to grow up.
Come to Jesus as a child. Let him tune your life-and give it a sound it never had before. The old saying-loud pipes save lives may be true. Loud cards may have saved a few lives too, but no question-only Jesus Christ saves souls. A crew chief and engineer who knows all the hi-performance secrets to tune your life for the best. Short track, mile, TT, moto-X, or on the high speed banks of Daytona-His tune is always right for you. No matter what track you are on-He knows the specs-and He should, He wrote them.
And a simple truth I still marvel at-how He doesn't use volume to get your attention-just love. Unlimited horsepower from the ultimate source. And when it comes down to it-you can't beat love. And unlike the cards in my spokes-doesn't wear out. Now what was that about loud pipes?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com