As any racer will tell you, to finish first, first you must finish. It
works on vacations too, as for the second year in a row, I finished my vacation,
but not on the same ride I started on. Last year was started on the Tiger, life
flight to Albuquerque then home in the back seat of a rented Camry-oh the shame
of it all! This year it was starting out on the Tiger again, and within 50
miles of home my battery went to sleep, and we got to ride in the cab of a flat
bed tow truck, with Theresa and I in the air conditioned cab. But we
finished...
But what doesn’t always show in the results, is how we got there. After
calling roadside from a Costco service department, who sells batteries, but
claimed for insurance purposes they couldn’t and didn’t have any jumpers, we
called my roadside service provider-not AAA, like on my cars, and after an hour
and 25 minutes, some yahoo in a beat up newer F150 shows up, has trouble getting
his hood open due to body damage, and then wants to use his tangled set of
cables to jump me. That should have been enough of a warning, but when I saw
the cable ends, one side missing the copper contacts, and the other side
mangled, I would not let him touch my bike. And sought help from a man who had
just purchased a battery, and had jumper cables, and within a few minutes,
counting editorializing about Costco and the tow man, had me going, and on my
way to the local Walmart to buy a battery. And I almost made it, remember the
flat bed? So as we sat in Carrow’s, adding poor food to a bad situation, which
happened to appear just as the flat bed showed up, I quizzed the driver about
bikes. Had he experience? Did he know he was driving us 50 miles home? Was
his truck clean enough for my wife to ride in? Was the AC working? After
finding out he rode a new GSXR 1000, and he knew what to do, I let him, and we
were off. And made it home safely, put the Tiger on the charger, and 20 minutes
later what could have been fixed at a place that claims to sell motorcycle
batteries, was fixed. And it only took 4 hours to complete!
Years ago my first job in Albuquerque was selling motorcycles at
Motorsport, Suzuki, BMW, and Triumph, and Rickman and Norton. 1975 was a good
year for the classic rides of today. The owners had been there for over 26
years, and ran a tight ship, with David their older son in charge. But under
pressure, Winston, the younger brother, aka Winnie the Pooh, aka Tiny Dancer was
forced back to the family business. A prodigal of sorts, who thought he could
make it on his own, was lured back by his mother, she was a tough old bird, and
was going to teach us all how to sell, based on his experiences. Now we were a
bunch of throttle happy kids, and he tried to teach us all the specs of our
competition, their prices, and all about their bikes. I probably helped sell
more Hondas due to to him, but we were all gong to be professionals, whatever
that meant. But Winston and I butted heads, he was always on my case about
being a Christian, not tough enough for this roly poly Momma’s boy, and once
blurted out, “don’t tell me about being a Christian, my family gives 15% to the
church!” My first thought was if what in this religion it took 20%? All his
facts and figures would have him falling short. He would have finished, at
least he thought so, God knew better.
Reinforcing the fact you cannot teach experience, and that all experience
isn’t profitable. And that we are in the race to win, heaven being our prize.
Second place is hell-the only podium spot to be in is first. Yet many fall into
religious doctrines trusting them for salvation. Winston’s family gave 15%.
Some take pledges and send you envelopes. Some base it on attendance, and how
good you are. Good works that point to you, but not necessarily Jesus.
Processes, programs, and other devices to get you back on the road, just not the
road to heaven. Do not let yourself get caught up in religion. Go for Jesus-go
for the win! Like me, I started out with good intentions, but took alternative
roads home for two years. But it was Jesus who got us home, and will get you
home. Don’t be impressed by accolades and prizes or rewards from church or
other men. Seek the reward of heaven-you’ll know the difference. And it may
not be what you expected, but you will get there. Last week at the Hollister
Rally, I watched a blind man needing to find a men’s room. And watched as a cop
pointed to where one was. The man was blind you fool! He can’t see you point!
What are you thinking? So I went back and taking him by the arm, got him to a
men’s room. And he was where he needed to be. It took someone to take him by
the hand and guide him. To show him the way, not point it out. That is why we
need Jesus, instead of religion. He takes us by the hand, and shows us the way,
going with us. We will finish first, because we will finish with Him. We were
all once blind to God, but now we see things that before were not there, all
because we let Jesus guide us. And so He tells us, “do not let your heart be
troubled.” And comes along side and guides us.
For the blind man it was the men’s room, for the Tiger the right tow truck
driver, and for salvation it is Jesus. Only Jesus. Do not let yourself be
fooled, just because you put in the call, you can say no to the answer. It only
took us 4 hours to get home after our first call for help, call out to Jesus
now, He is standing by. The right tools, the right truck, and the right things
to meet your need. Only 50 miles from home didn’t matter to my bike, broken was
broken. But we finished. Not my way, not the roadside’s answer, but God’s
answer. No matter the question, Jesus is still the answer. Others point, He
guides. Just ask the blind guy. When you gotta go, you gotta go. I wonder if
he thought to leave the seat up?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.commohn_triumph@cox.net