Progress has been a good thing, except that it has gone on too long. We have created a people whose main talent is information retrieval, but still don't know their wife's phone number. We have children who can't add, but can manipulate a calculator. And we have adults who if you hide the remote can't watch TV-"I 'm not getting up and going over to change the channel." Like I said-way too long. Yet with all the electronic media available to us today, still the best way to say what you really mean is via the t-shirt you are wearing. Want to know what I ride? Watch the shirt. Where did I go last summer? The answer again lies in the shirt. Who is your favorite team? Who do you work for? Where do I eat? All of these things can be answered by just one look at the shirt on my back-and front.
But shirts also have become an offensive way to express yourself. Sadly, if you have a reputation of being a fool, why do you feel the need to remind us by wearing something stupid on your shirt? Exactly the answer I expected-"I dunno." So we must come up with a test to rate the validity of what your shirt says. I got the idea from a shirt I saw at Malcolm Smith's one afternoon. It had the Bar and Shield of Harley fame on it, with a one line question-"If they made a plane, would you fly in it?" In a simple one line joke, it made me think. And I have used this obvious question of wisdom to weigh in one various subjects. It is simple enough-and works!
Since there are no pull outs or rest areas while flying, the plane better be pretty good-or else. And most people seem to know what the what else is. Planes tend to be pretty reliable, so if you find one you choose not to fly on, it must be pretty bad. So let's apply this wisdom to real life. Let's see how it works.
If the restaurant is filthy inside, would you eat there?
If the gas station is known for water in the fuel would you fill up there?
If you know the road is dangerous, with no way out, would you ride it?
If your bike has gas enough for ten miles, and the station is 15, would you ride there? Note-some think that the low fuel light on means to fill up, it really means you still have fuel. It will go out when you run out. Not important how I know.
Would you buy a house if the rats greeted you at the door?
Would you buy a used t-shirt that smelled like BO?
Would you argue with an idiot knowing you will never win?
Would you accept cold, limp French fries that have been sitting since lunch when fresh, hot ones are available?
Did you ever buy a car leaking oil? Or a motorcycle after being told they all do that?
Would you want to put the dirty oil back in your engine to save a buck? Why change it then?
Would you trust a dentist with braces? Or a bald barber?
Do you trust a tailor that says "fitsa nice."
Does "they all do that comfort you when buying something?" When they all don't.
I think you see the point of my would you fly in it philosophy, so why when it comes to God do you not use the same sense you do when ordering a cheeseburger? Ask the question-will the things I worship get me to heaven when I die? Will monthly payments get me closer to God? Just because I wear a shirt with Christian sayings on it, does that make me a Christian? So why do you treat a relationship with God so lightly? Why do you have more faith in your cell phone, which drops calls, takes lousy pictures, goes off in church after you have been told to turn it off, and costs way too much? Every month? Why do you love the Chargers, but hate the way they play? Yet neglect the things of God.
Seems we are obsessed with the right now, and what it can do for me. A quickie nirvana. But God is looking ahead, and although He promises He is with you today, He wants to be with you for eternity. And you to be with Him. So gives the one way out of hell-and makes it a true/false, so the multiple choice options don't confuse you. A test that you have been given the answer to. So why do you not trust God? Would you fly in a plane He made? Yet, you won't give Him your life to fly you into eternity.
Progress has allowed us to trust things other than God. To not look to Jesus, but Google our problems. So, like I used to tell my customers when they tried to diagnose their car problems on the internet, "go ahead, and right click it. See if that fixes it." Maybe today is the day you take your life off of speed dial, you ditch the remote, don't Google for answers but turn to God. Ask Him, and watch as His spirit guides you. And take the guesswork out of where you will spend eternity.
Works in real life too. Take the stock market for instance. Based on rumor, innuendoes, and great expectations, it fluctuates wildly. Yet so many trust their savings to it. If Wall Street made a plane, would you fly in it?
Trust God. The only real answer. Only God can truly love you. He is the only way to heaven. And wants to show you how much right now. Why not trust someone who is 100% right all the time, doesn't lie, is trustworthy, patient, kind, and all knowing? So-trust God. NOW. Anything else is a gamble.
Do you trust the man who said He would resurrect Himself after three days? Wise men still seek Him. Now that would make a great t-shirt. If they made it, would you wear it?
Do you really need a t-shirt to show us you are a Christian?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com