I am not a meeting person. To me they occupy time wasted when I could be
doing something constructive. Yet a whole subculture has risen wasting our
time, and perpetuating their self importance. Mercedes Benz was big on them,
and they were at least catered very well. Some ate like I did, some used it to
sleep, while others used it to kiss up to the boss, “Great idea, JB, inspired.”
Excuse me while I go back for seconds. But to me new model introductions were
different, but still too long. And one stands out in my memory. Mercedes Benz
was introducing a new hatchback, a model that for whatever reason never sold in
the luxury class. The day long meeting was run by Frank, out regional service
manager who was super smart, if not a bit strange. He had a wry sense of humor,
and his jokes were wasted on most of us. While always trying to remind us of
his title and position. While I looked for an escape route....But this one
morning would turn out special, and memorable.
Frank was showing us how Mercedes Benz had just equipped all their new cars
with inside trunk releases, in case you got locked in. My Jersey experience
told me the only ones locked in trunks were not supposed to get out, but our
Federal Government had made them a new law, so Mercedes Benz would take the
credit. We watched as Frank climbed in the trunk, pointing out a red tether
strap to pull for release, then shut the lid behind him. Still talking he
explained how he would escape...and pulled the tether. But nothing happened, he
couldn’t see me off to the side leaning on the lid, and as the group began to
giggle, he became frustrated, and when I finally quit pushing, it exploded
outward. Frank all red and flustered, no one ever ratted me out. He would
later examine the system and find no fault in it. Maybe the perfect crime, at
least joke.
Now throughout the day one elegantly dressed Chinese man was shadowing me.
Straight faced, never showing expression, he was beginning to freak me out. As
I was with the jokers, he stood aside and watched, never showing emotion. Until
it was time to take test drives, and I grabbed the driver’s seat, while the rest
folded their way into the small car. Tough for two, it advertised seating for
5, and so three folded themselves into the back. With my Chinese friend in the
middle, with the only thing I saw looking in the mirror was him. Still no
expression...a scene from Alfred Hitchcock. Now one of the features on this car
was a panorama top, the entire roof was tinted glass, with a large sunroof that
would open. After a few miles of grunting from being packed in, my Chinese
cohort spoke. “Look Mike, grass everywhere, windows are grass, roof is grass.
Grass is everywhere, car have a lot of grass,” he spoke in pigeon English. And
I wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. About to wet my pants, at the first stop I
climbed out and rode with one of the chase vehicles. And started laughing, and
then explaining to this young girl driving what had happened. And she laughed,
but not with me, but at me. It seems my Chinese friend was a joker, and loved
the pinning of Frank in the trunk. In fact he had to leave the room when he saw
what I was doing laughing. He had been admiring my joke from afar, and his
pigeon English was his way of joking with me, and showing appreciation for a
joke well done. He was a service manage for Beverly Hills and couldn’t wait to
demonstrate to this crew when he got back, with a volunteer in the trunk. His
English was perfect, his use of grass for glass priceless, and both of us never
recognized the other for their skillful prank. But such was a day in the life
of a sales rep, Frank never knew what I did to him, and my Chinese friend never
knew I knew his joke on me. Such is the way it should be, but given the chance,
we both would do it all over again. I know I would....just look at all the
grass, and I never have climbed into a trunk since. Tether or not.
I don’t do retreats either, a form of meeting. After attending a family
retreat for husband and wife, being told of how we need to bond together
closely, we were herded off to barracks, men and women separate. Keeping us
apart. In a room where old men snore, young men stay up late talking, others
run out to get food after the tasty meal of stringy roast beef, rubber green
beans, and an over baked potato. Some of us talked about getting our wives and
leaving, and no one got a good night’s sleep. So I don’t do retreats either, I
rather spend time with my wife on weekends. Maybe the fact you need these
retreats is because you don’t. Too many times using worldly ways to influence
us when we need spiritual applications. From God, not some best seller. Not
some intern teaching, and not from some man locked in the trunk of a car. Paul
tells us in 2 Corinithians we have divine power to demolish the evil
strongholds. While some prescribe 12 step plans, he tells of four spiritual
ones we all can do. And should be.
The first weapon is truth. Truth is realism, truth is that wonderful thing
that we see when we understand the Bible, and see the world through God’s eyes
because of it, rather than our own. While the world bombards us with illusion
and opinions, we know the truth, and he has set us free. We may not like all
things true, but knowing the truth gives us an advantage over others who don’t.
And it is only found in Jesus. The Bible talks of love, God’s love, and when we
see love as more than an emotion, but as the person of God, we love more. Anger
lessens, we forgive, we are courteous, and the fruit of his spirit shows in us.
We love him because he loved us first. That is truth. And seeing things in
love we get a better grasp of the situation, they may be mad, not at us. So we
don’t take it personally, yet seek to minister and aid. Faith provides us with
the facts of God throughout history, and gives us hope for today. Jesus sits in
control over all the nations, and we need to expect him to do something. Faith
assures us he has, does, and will. Which is built on love, and trust. Faith
reminds us of people just like us throughout history doing great things in
adverse situations because of our faith. Where to lean on in times of trouble,
instead of times of hatchback.
And finally from those we have prayer. We ask, we trust, and wait because
we know God loves us. He who offered his only son will fulfill all his promises
to us in him. So we ask expecting to receive. And again history shows that
those who ask receive from God, yet his grace is sufficient for all, saved or
lost. But because we pray and listen, because we have that personal
relationship, we see the blessings. Jesus is our representative, and we are to
be his. No meetings required, just Jesus. His truth sets us free in his love,
and will have our faith grow into even more trust. More love, which draws us
into the word, and we pray more, thinking of him all day long as we live. Psalm
1 calls it meditating on God. All driven by the spirit, directing us to the
cross where Jesus won the victory over sin and claimed our souls from hell. When
some ask “are you in the word?” I reply “is the word in you?” See the
difference.
All without retreating or meeting. So meet Jesus today, at the foot of the
cross. Don’t see the situation, see him. And trust, love, build faith, and
pray....while others are stuck in the trunk wondering what happened. Let him
minster to both husband and wife together, and separately, but unifying them in
the spirit. Remembering who your representative in heaven is, and representing
him here on earth in those four things. And never forgetting the greatest thing
is love. And who he is. More than an emotion, be in love. Be in Jesus. Be in
the spirit. To some still a mystery, to you the mysteries revealed. No secrets
in heaven, God is awake while you are asleep, preparing the world and you for
the next day. Sleep well, in Christ. You may be stuck in a trunk and not know
it. Or surrounded by lots of grass. And still not know it. Mercedes Benz may
be engineered like no other car in the world, I know the creator, who engineered
me like no other in the world. And that’s the truth.
love with compassion,l
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com