Certain elements are necessary for life. You must have food, air to
breathe, and a place to live. Clothes help too, just ask Adam and Eve, and if
you forgot the importance of water, you’re probably not thirsty right now. But
certain things are needed for life, from sustaining to enjoying, from survival
to success. And among the basics I find something rather disheartening, the
fact that no one has to ride a motorcycle. Now 100 years ago before Henry Ford
and mass production dropped the price of a Model T below a motorcycle, many did
rely on them, and an argument could be made that they had to ride a
motorcycle. But the Model T negated that, and a whole generation, with many to
follow, found they didn’t have to ride, but that they wanted to. Where it once
had become a necessity, now it was a luxury, and today still is a luxury-and to
some of us a necessity. You see we ride because we want to, not because we have
to. Many small cars cost less than some motorcycles, although you don’t find
the comfort, performance, or the cool of a cycle. Add in rain, cold, and social
pressures-“you let your husband ride that thing?” “Yes, I have one of my own,”
and again you find we ride because we want to. And like the t-shirt says, “if
you have to ask, you wouldn’t understand.” Besides it is hard to hear someone
explaining to you in a full face helmet.
And I find that those who do ride are a better class of people to hang
around. They start young with dads teaching kids to ride, and they learn
responsibility. They learn to take care of a bike, and make decisions. They
spend time with their families, and they all grow closer together. Quite the
opposite of many families I see today where the kids are afraid of everything,
it might have sugar, it might hurt, you might get dirty, and you might have
fun. All the thou shalt nots that the world associates with Christians-a wrong
perception, and doing it at home. Following it off with a glass of wine to calm
their nerves after a full day of controlling their kids, and never encouraging
them to grow and be themselves. Like dogs on a leash the kids never venture
very far from the mom or dad who seeks to control something in their life, when
they cannot control themselves. And so I encourage parents to ride, to take
their kids with them, and encourage them to watch their kids grow and explore
things. To watch them come home dirty, tired, worn out, and exhausted from too
much fun-and they cannot wait to go do it again. Fun is the one thing missing
out of life, and with all the rules, no wonder kids go nuts and want to kill.
It is the ones who are the bookworms and never go out and mingle that are
killing people-it is hard to fire a gun with your throttle pegged and hanging
onto the bars! Maybe a new form of gun control-teach kids to ride along with
their parents. I’ll vote for the first politician who brings that one up!
But motorcycling is a great life style, and is endless in its pursuits.
From track days to moto-x tracks to day trips to month long vacations, your
wallet and your imagination are the only things holding you back. But really,
how much fun is riding, and do we really need to do it? Like an old saying
goes, “riding a motorcycle is almost as fun as sex, but you can do it more
often.” Remember when sex was clean and the air was dirty? So I encourage you
to get out with your kids, even walk through a bike shop with them, and watch as
their eyes light up when you let them sit on one. Take some riding lessons, and
include your family. And find out why dogs like to hang their heads out the
window in the wind. Discover the fun of watching your kids go off with friends
and make relationships that last. And watch as when all the prejudices and
false impressions go away, you find you are free, and why the long way home on
your bike is far better than car pooling in the fast lane. Another form of
control. My son calls the bus the loser cruiser. So does anyone have to ride a
motorcycle-or does it just make good sense?
Years ago I had a friend, Pastor Rick, who after being a main line religion
pastor for many years, got saved, and was forced to leave the church. He had
found freedom in Christ, a freedom no denomination could provide, and was a joy
to be around. He was too old to ride-not in our minds, but used to look at our
motorcycles and say “that sure looks like fun.” And looking at him, when he
talked about Jesus, you thought “that sure looks like fun.” And it is, knowing
Jesus is fun, and the more commitment to Him, the more fun. Some closed minded,
and hard hearted individuals will try to deter you from Jesus, maybe steer you
into a cult, or some false religion. Anything but Jesus, just to rob you of
your joy, and salvation. They have preconceived ideas about God, and their
opinions are more important than the facts. You never see them encouraging
others, just telling them things not to do, trying to control others when they
cannot control themselves. Worse yet are the ones who turnout OK despite
themselves, and think sin and stupidity was the path to their success-or rather
lack of complete failure. It took Pastor Rick into his late sixties to find
Jesus when He was there all the time. He found Jesus to be that certain
element to life that you cannot live without. It wasn’t the rules, the church,
or even his education-it was Jesus who gave him life...and eternally. So what
excuses are you making to not become a Christian? Too much fun? Can’t handle
salvation? I get it-you cannot control God, and think He will try to control
you. Why not exercise the choice He offers you that you do not offer other-the
choice to make the decision about how to live your life, and find life in
Jesus. Only God offers you a choice, a true expression of His love for
us.
Today is the day of salvation. God’s words, not mine. But I agree with
them, as today many will come to Christ, their choice, and find love, life, and
joy that nothing else could provide. A choice that is the only way to heaven.
Or think about it like this, if you don’t choose heaven, you are choosing hell.
Now....you may want to reconsider.
I always like the looks I get when riding to church when a sedan full of
clean cut family pulls up next to me. Unaware of the freedom I have in Christ,
no ties, no religion, and I can ride my bike to church. No fussing with the
kids who don’t want to go to church, or the wife worrying about what her friends
will be wearing. Or the husband upset because the Chargers are on. They don’t
get it, do you?
In a perfect world we would all ride a motorcycle. And in a perfect world
we will all be saved. No sin, we are in heaven. Now I ask you, does anyone
have to ride a motorcycle? No, we just get to. But without Jesus we will never
get to heaven. Both require a choice-wise men still seek Him. How wise are
you? The most fun you’ll ever have being dirty!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.com