the gospel of self, starring you!

Take Ed McMahon for instance, can anyone tell me his true talent as a celebrity?  Playing the fool to one Johnny Carson, he will always be remembered every time someone who has had too many Coronas says “here’s Johnny!”  Well paid, probably overpaid, and nothing on his own, without The Tonight Show he might have been selling aluminum siding, but he will always be known throughout show biz circles.   Whoever said he who finishes second is really first loser never thought of Ed’s success.

“Hi, my name’s Larry, this is my brother Darryl, this is my other brother Darryl...” and immediately we think of think of Newhart, with the lovable three mountain men.  But without Dick to play up to, they just aren’t as funny.  Same with Michael and his wife Stefanie, as obnoxious and funny as they are, they still are secondary characters in a hit show.  Cosmo Kramer, perhaps one of the funniest characters ever, played by Michael Richards, when in his own show bombed.  Not enough Kramer for his own show, just enough to support.  Same with George, and the list goes on.  But if you ever saw Kramer as Stanley Spudowski in UHF, again a supporting role, you can see an early Kramer on the rise.  Supporting of course.

Lenny and Squiggy were two you would let into your living room on Laverne and Shirley, but maybe not at your dinner table.  Funny as characters, but not enough to make it on their own show.  Add in Eddie Haskell, “you sure look fine tonight Mrs. Cleaver, is that an new necklace?  My father says it’s important for up and coming couples to look rich...” but would anyone, could anyone sit through The Eddie Haskell Show?  Add in Lumpy....”yes Daddy...”  and maybe you are starting to see a theme here.  Very funny people, supporting actors, who made the show they appeared on even funnier, and who that maybe without it it might have not had the appeal, but could never stand alone.  They were all part of a supporting cast, and very good at it.  People we imitate, laugh at, and even wish there was more of them on the show, but due to masterful writing and direction, give us just enough and wanting more.  People that were an important part of a cast, at least Garry Marshall knew not to put The Fonz into his own sitcom.  Correctimundo!

Maybe they are like Goldilocks, too much not so funny, too little we want more.  A bed that is never just right, but we sleep on it anyway, a porridge not made right, but when hungry it will do.  Funny characters that are depended on to aid, not to get center attention.  A cast of characters from A to Z that Carly Simon once sang about.  Which is real life.  Face it, our lives are all about us, a gospel of self, that is on display.  But without others, friends, co-workers, family, and others, life just isn’t so interesting.  It takes them and their interaction to make our own lives interesting.  But we have learned when to not answer the phone, or the door when it is them.  Some are riding buddies you won’t take home for dinner, some are guys you eat lunch with, but would never ride with.  Fonzie on Seinfeld?  Kramer living above the Cunninghams? How much of Eddie Haskell would Laverne and Shirley put up with?  And could you imagine June letting Lenny and Squiggy in to see Wally?  If you could, you probably put ketchup on your hot dog, something Darryl would never do. 

And so today we are called to be a cast of characters in our lives as Christians.  When Jesus is the star, the bright and shining star, he needs no others, yet he has chosen us to be his supporting cast.  to be his ambassadors to the world, to take out his message of salvation.  But what good are we without his message, or the message without him?  Some live under the illusion we have to do more for God, living a legalistic life that is never good enough.  They forget we are saved by grace, not by works lest we should boast.  They neglect the direction of the holy spirit, and wonder why they aren’t effective.  without knowing, their ministry and testimony is all about them, and no one wants to hear it.  Some think they need to carry a big Bible, or wear a t-shirt about Jesus.  Some try to impress with bumper stickers, other with Christian colors.  Sadly they don’t realize that all the above are warning signs to avoid them, for no one wants to be preached at.  Yet they walk away after an encounter, safe in the knowledge they are going to heaven, and at least won an argument.  The question they never answer is “who’s Jesus?”  And if he is like you, I’ll stay away.  Sound familiar?

We have all gone through it, and some are still in it.  But when the light went on for me, it meant sitting in the back row and letting Jesus take center stage.  And my ministry took off, rather it grew in the spirit.  I became obedient, then trusting of Jesus, and the final showdown came one afternoon when praying about a big decision.  Like so many times, we already know where God is leading us before we pray, we just don’t like his answer, so try to bargain with him.  I used to throw fleeces like Gideon, to test the spirit, and one day God called me on it.  “Why don’t you quit throwing fleeces and just trust me?”  My faith grew feet, and suddenly it wasn’t all about me, I put him at the head of my life, and I followed.  A supporting character in my own life.  For truly your life, all life is about Jesus Christ. 

Consider this last conversation with God one afternoon.  He asked me “why don’t I let you change lives?”  After the selfish start processes ebbed, his answer made perfect sense.  “I change people so that they can be like me, not like you.”  I have never heard an argument for another me, have you?  So who do you trust with your life?  Whose character do you support? 

If your witness is weak, try Jesus.  Live in his spirit, learn to shut up and listen, rather than annoy and upset.  Show compassion, and learn a lesson from Jeopardy.  How many have lost because they gave the wrong question because they didn’t listen to the complete answer?  In other works, let God speak, don’t interrupt!  And try to be led by him, and soon the change in you seen by others will be his spirit living within you.  Now that is a witness I can embrace!

Co-stars are very good at what they do, but only in the role chosen for them.  With one character worth noting, Gomer Pyle.  From gas pump attendant, to USMC, he stayed Gomer.  But always in a supporting role.  He needed his fellow co-stars to make him funny, by himself he was just a Pyle.  Too much and we change channels, too little we want more.  Like the spirit, he knows just how much we need, and when we are guided by him, he is the star of the show.  Everything the spirit does points to Jesus, and everything Jesus did he pointed to his father in heaven.  Why don’t we learn from the greatest of them Jesus, and be a part of his supporting cast.  Begin to see the blessings when we walk in his light.  Suddenly our words mean more, our compassion is real, and all our education means something in its application.  Maybe if we did the things he directed us to do, then we could really call him Lord?

And maybe people might not shudder when you approach like Mr. Wilson does when he hears “hello Mr. Wilson!” from Dennis.  Father has always known best, that is why we are always referred to as his children.   Now, who really is the Captain Kirk of your Enterprise?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

Detroit-they used to make cars there, didn't they?

Years ago I had a customer who did business in Detroit, but lived in La Jolla.  He was part of a decades old family run business, and would visit Motown a few times a year.  When not driving the latest Mercedes Benz had to offer, he drove an old “pregnant elephant” Packard convertible, a beautiful light yellow.  The first new Packards after WWII, it connected him to Detroit and its past, long before it became the urban blight it is today.  One afternoon he let me drive it around La Jolla, and many heads turned.  While the younger ones stared, just another old car to them, the older folks smiled and waved, as they could remember when Packard meant luxury, which meant success and prestige.  Both understood in La Jolla still today.  But he would tell me stories of how grand it was driving down E. Grand in Detroit, and the majesty of the old buildings, all based on the auto business, that formed the town.  But he warned how the city had fallen into decay, and that carjacking was a popular sport for thieves, and leave an out when stopping for a stop light.  They would box you in and rob you...hard to imagine such a gorgeous car came from a town that rich in history, but had become the poorest of the poor within a few decades after.  When the auto manufacturers found it cheaper to build cars in other countries rather than try to meet userous union demands, Detroit became a toilet, where once old, proud  neighborhoods existed, now being torn down or burned down.  And so when we travelled through Detroit 6 years ago, we were careful to avoid the downtown, although riding through it on the interstate.  Depressing and depressed, houses could be sold for hundreds of dollars, or entire blocks for a few thousand.  The auto business had left Detroit, and so had the decades of prosperity, the history, the wealth, and the legacy.  In a succession of mayors that went to jail, Detroit came to represent all that was wrong with America.  Detroit, they used to build cars there, didn’t they?

Watching a show on the water crisis in Flint, up the road from Detroit, I remember riding through there on the way to Detroit, but not stopping.   It was scary, rusty, abandoned buildings, all that Detroit promised later, was seen there.  The town that gave us Buick, who gave us Billy Durant, who formed General Motors, and built cars there himself after he was fired from the same company twice, and many auto related businesses.  It was in ruin, and really is today from the fact you cannot drink the water.  It is poisonous, and kids are getting sick.  Imagine no drinking water, no showers, which means houses are worth around $10,000 on the high end, which kills any business wanting to move in.  No more real estate for sale, houses are being condemned, and one plumber estimates that it would take around $10,000 per home, times 25,000 of them to make them safe.  No one will spend the money to fix their home to make it worth what it is with no water, mixed in with high poverty levels, Buicks aren’t made in Flint, but there is a huge new plant in China, and nothing gets fixed.  Health deteriorates, but attitudes have already begun, and fingers are pointed.  Surely the government is to blame, and the political outcries were heard.  “Spend more money, dump the republican governor,” not surprising from an all Democratic council, mayor, and senator.  Another case of the government failing the people, but really it may have roots that are self inflicted going back many years.  No matter, it needs to be fixed, and blaming each other only starts more problems, more arguments.  Soon people are at each other, race war escalates, and everyone loses.  The one unifying statement was that “no one trusted government,” and wanted to start over. With what or who wasn’t stated, just that government has to pay for it.  Which means you and me.....

But back to Detroit, where a man from South America bought the old Packard plant, all 40 acres of what is left, with a dream of turning it into a business complex.  He paid only $405,000 for it, but has spent 10 times that cleaning it up, and lost his latest backer due to economic changes in the world that threaten a downturn.  He will secure other funding, but for now the future is on hold.  It seems that all the money may rebuild a beautiful historic plant one day, make it usable and desirable, but who is going to change the hearts of people in Detroit?  Why would anyone want to move there?  Add Flint into the equation, and will the last person out of Michigan please turn out the light?  All the king’s horses, and all his men are in danger, and they blame each other, but still think money is the answer.  Hey Bill Gates, here is a town for sale?  What great place to show your humanitarianism?  Bring back Detroit!  Bring back Flint!  Can you right click and repair this mess?

Scripture tells us the wise man built his house upon the rock, and when the storms came it withstood them.  The rock being Jesus, and trusting him in all situations.  Built upon greed and money, we see the love of money will also kill you when you flee with it elsewhere.  When profits became the main thing, and more could be made somewhere else, money made there went elsewhere in search of even more.  The love of money being the root of all evil, Detroit, Flint, and many other once prosperous towns like them in the US of A stand of testimonies of that.  When built on money, when the money is gone, the people turn on each other, and soon we have anarchy.  Out of control, and we see it today, warned of in the Bible, demonstrated on streets in cities worldwide.  But Jesus talks of resurrection, can cities be resurrected too?

You can only resurrect something that was alive once and has died.  Jesus tells us he is “the resurrection and the life,” yet many pray, then stand in government lines waiting for a hand out.  When we pray do we wait for an answer?  Or do we start to blame God for our situation?  Have you ever considered what God has done in the past when we pray?  We believe in a final resurrection, but do we believe God for a right now one?  Do we have faith in him right now, or do we behave as the lenders do, a world crisis looms, we will wait until it is over.  Only hastening its arrival....will we listen to God’s answer, or are we too busy complaining and blaming to listen?  Are we listening now?  Do you believe the hope and future Jesus talks about can happen today?  Yesterday today was tomorrow...and we believed a better day was coming, are we watching and waiting, and maybe God has answered, and we missed it, or didn’t agree with it?

Detroit is an example of too many lives, built not upon the rock, Jesus Christ, and when troubles come, they suffer and die.  How fitting God uses storms of water to wash away the foundations, and Flint knows all about bad water.  But Jesus offers good water, the best water, the spirit.  Can we drink from him just a sip, and see our lives changed?  We say we believe God, will we trust him enough to follow him if the path is treacherous?  Will we learn from Detroit and Flint, or carry on not trusting God until it happens here?  Do you believe God can resurrect your life, or are you just waiting to die a slow death without him?
Some believe resurrection power only works in cemetaries, but it starts from within.  Repent, turn to Jesus, then obey and follow.  The government cannot help you, local social clubs are ineffective, and even the churches are failing.  We need Jesus, before it is too late.  When each one of us is resurrected, others will follow.  Our testimony and Jesus will change them.  It isn’t about money, but about Jesus.  Who offers you to drink from his well...are you still thirsty?  Tired, and need rest?  Confused and disillusioned?  He will calm you, place your feet on solid ground, and resurrect you.  One bad decision can bring decades of misery, one good one, turning to Jesus, can turn it all around. 

Too much water we get floods, not enough droughts.  Dirty we get sick.  But living water will keep us well, and guarantee the future.  Don’t let a physical problem mask a spiritual one.  Do not treat a symptom, treat the disease.  Sin is the disease, Jesus the only cure.  Detroit-pray for them, that their eyes may be open, and their hearts changed.  That they will be saved, and Jesus will save their city.  Men have dreams about resurrecting historical plants, do we dream of a day when God resurrects our hearts?  It has already begun, will you be part of it?  Which fountain will you drink from?  The people in flint have no other fountain to turn to, but will they?  If faced with a problem, where do you drink from when thirsty?  And when the floods came the house stood.  Jesus is the rock...even in Flint and Detroit.  Turn to him before the lights go out.  Today many can only drink water from a bottle, don’t keep your God bottled up too.  Just a thought when you turn on your tap, or shower today.  Where does your water come from?  Water from a rock, or water the government told you was safe?  And would you wash your old Packard with it?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

thoughts about waiting in line

The one true American sport, one that defies age, sex, even disabilities, is waiting in line.  We spend so much of our time waiting in line, that we don’t even realize it.  You expect to at Disneyland, where over an hour in line can get you the same ride that on a slow Tuesday means no line at all.  When watching the NFL on Sundays, Mondays, or Thursdays, we wait in between the plays at least 40 seconds, sometimes more with TV time outs.  Maybe the NFL should be described as 5 seconds of action after 40 seconds of waiting.  Same with Disneyland, an hour of wait for 3 minutes of fun. And yet we wait, and wait, and wait....

Here in Escondido none of the traffic lights seem to be synchronized, at least the way I am going.  And with busy streets, can take 2-3 minutes, or longer for the light to change.  So what do we do-wait.  Same at In-and-Out, we wait for a long time for fast food, which we eat in a few minutes.  After waiting in a long line.  Grocery stores make us wait in line to check out and pay-why is it there is always some obnoxious woman on her cell phone with over 20 items when I am behind her in the express lane?  It seems that whenever someone has what  we want, we are willing to wait for it, no matter how long it takes.  And if you think about it-what is it that makes us wait for something, that we have to pay for after waiting?  Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

And many times we get impatient while waiting, or contemplating waiting.  Driving around LA on a busy day makes you think the city is huge, and it is.  But on a light trafficked Sunday morning, where you can get around fast, you realize how small it really is.  Subtract the wait time in traffic, and it takes on a different size.  Thank goodness for being able to lane split.  And today many toll roads that still have toll booths have us waiting in line to pay.  Hurry up and wait has become a new mantra for America, something to think about the next time you are waiting for the light to turn green, listening to Ms. more than 20 items in the express lane, or to ride the Matterhorn at Disneyland.  The great common denominator-waiting in line.

While waiting is a universal theme, so is delaying.  Putting things off, which is different than waiting.  We can’t wait until we are 21, yet wish we could delay 60.  We delay making a big decision, we can’t wait to get it over with.  So we need to recognize the difference between waiting and delaying.  Waiting is for something expected, delaying is putting off that something expected.  Too many people live an “in the last minute “ life.  From homework to breaking up, to cutting the yard, or washing the car, we delay things as long as we can.  Yet the task at hand waits for us.  Life and death are like that also.  We know heaven waits, yet we want to delay the trip.  We take great pains to stay alive, we want to go, but we have little say in the matter.  Which is maybe why some don’t like death, we have no control over it.  While some hang on and wait to die, others delay it via miracle drugs.  But we are all mortal, except those that have obtained immortality in Christ.  Some days I am eager to go to heaven, other times I am having much too good a time to want to leave.  Yet if we saw heaven for what it is, we might all be committing suicide to get there.  We wait for the headache or illness to pass, praying “God take me now,” yet when it passes, we want to stay and live another day.  But to those who have heard the gospel, and have not come to Jesus, each day for them is a gift form God they don’t know about, for if they had died, it would be hell.  So God is patient that none should perish, he isn’t delaying, but waiting for all to come to repentance.  Maybe praying for that rude person at the light, or in line may make a difference for them. 

Yet God proves the importance of waiting, and of his timing with childbirth.  36 weeks or 9 months, give or take a day and all should be well.  Too short, you get a premie with potential problems.   Too long and you have to induce labor.  God knew this when he created us, and it is still true today.  Life is precious at the beginning, and also at the end.  Maybe if we considered how precious the in between the two is we may have a different attitude.  How many get excited about a new baby coming, yet won’t even talk about what lies ahead after life?  God is loving, and we should get close enough to want to go home to heaven, and he doesn’t delay, if he came only one day before each of us had been saved, think of he difference that would have made.  Something to consider the next time we get impatient, God knows, maybe there is another one just like you who needs to be saved.  Just look around for evidence.

Things to consider while standing in line.  Or waiting at a light.  Or wishing the line at Disneyland was shorter. God knows and has it all under control.  At just the right time, while we were still sinners, he sent Jesus to save us.  Jesus never hurried, and was never late.  Or too early, always on time.  Something to consider, his love for us. So try to be patient and loving.  He waited for you, and that was important.  He is waiting for others too.  He is patient that none should go to hell.  Of course, he never had to spend an afternoon at the DMV....NEXT!

love with compassion,

MIke

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

one road at a time

January around our house means planning for the next summer’s long ride.  We used to call them trips, but they really are long rides, with stops in between.  And no matter how much time I spend researching, making reservations, and reading maps, along the way we become flexible and change courses.  If we see a place we like, maybe spend an extra day, if too early in the day to stop, the next town may be inviting us to spend the night there.  So I use many sources to plan, and already have made over 35 reservations, including the 14 I cancelled.  I have found it pays to reserve early, you can always cancel, and the best ones fill up fast.  That and some places give discounts for early bookings....so book the ride we do.  In days of old when we were bold we based our days on 500 miles, which often turned into a lot more, one 847 mile ride from San Antonio to Tucson comes to mind.  But now 200-300 is the plan, and with places to stop along the way, and side roads left to explore.  Which has taken us to many places we choose to return to, at one time taking notes to return, now if we see it, we ride it.  We never know if or when we may return, so we seize the moment as they say.  Or ride it. 

I tend to stay away from cities, and popular areas, finding the back roads and countryside more to our liking.  Less traffic, more roads to ride, and America is still out there, if you have the time to find it.  There are still motels on the old highway offering rest and friendliness to travelers, diners who mean home cooking, and serve seconds, and locals who share history away from the scheduled tours.  We get out to where the tourists aren’t, and become a local, if only for a day while there. 

One night in Zanesville, Ohio, the manager of an old tourist court, the cabins were individual, gave me a $10 discount for me and my bike, extending the arm of brotherhood to a fellow rider. $14 for the night, and better than any Motel 6 or discount chain.  I slept in 50 years of history...knowing my bike and its rider would be safe.  Over breakfast another time, we were talking to the cook behind the counter, and talked motorcycles.  He remarked about the exhibit at the local museum, and wondered if we knew of Von Dutch.  When we said yes, he called him up, and he came down and sat for a few minutes. Introduced himself as Kenny, only on a bike.  How many shop owners come down to help a broken down biker on a Sunday night?  Yet Tom did, fixed the bike, charged me $20, then lent me money for a motel room.  “Pay me when you get back....”  I sent the check, but how do you payback such hospitality?  The best way I know is to extend it, or pay it ahead as is the stylish term today.  Welcome the stranger, feed and water them and their steed, and send them away renewed and refreshed.  One road at a time, for we don’t know what is just up the road, or what tomorrow may bring. One day you are on a ride to Wisconsin, the next day being life flighted to Albuquerque.  So we stay flexible, and find that God knows what is ahead, and will take care of us.  No matter where we end up, or how we get there.

I have found in life that God is a God of order.  He will not let you advance to the next step until you complete the one you are on.  In the days of Zechariah, when the city needed rebuilding, God gave them houses to build.  I know many contractors who would leap at the chance, and for a few days, many did.  But soon the grumbling began.  Some were building bigger houses, some smaller.  Some building more, some less.  And soon building houses was not enough, they wanted to build cities, tabernacles, and the temple.  And went to Zachariah to complain.  But God’s answer was as always right on, and he asked them a question, as he usually does.  “How can you want to build cities when you cannot even build houses?  If you cannot complete what I ask, what qualifies you for bigger things?”  And later Jesus would put it to the disciples another way, “how can you remove the splinter from your friends eye when you cannot see the log in your own?”  God sure does ask a lot of questions, causing us to think about the situation.  Like traveling, you cannot change highways until you get there, so enjoy the trip. And be surprised at the things, the blessings along the way.  Man plans, God laughs.  But he also blesses abundantly, when riding in his spirit. 

Jesus is the way, the way to heaven, to the father.  Reuniting us with God after our sins.  But he also is the way through life, and a great guide to follow.  Hungry, he knows what is open, and your appetite.  Thirsty, stands selling juice appear in the countryside.  A bed for the night, he saves the last one, the best one for you.  Alone and wondering, he knows the way.  Remember he is the way.  And he meets your needs.  So many roads, and it is getting late, don’t panic.  He is patient with us, but don’t miss out.  The best deal may be the old motel in front of you, instead of the new luxury inn down the road.  Jesus knows the road, he spent his life on them, the ultimate trip planner.  Need help with that log?

And so God has sent his spirit to guide us, to comfort us, and assure us.  Wonderful counselor is how he is called,  he knows your budget, where you like to ride, and the roads to take.  So stay the course, you never know what lies ahead.  On one trip to Springville, we took a road over the mountain and ended up in Exeter.  A great destination we return to.  Another night led me to a State Trooper in Ohio, who led me back to the highway.  “This is a place people wander into and don’t return,” he warned.  And one night in Victoria, needing a room, we got the last room,, a suite, for a room price, she called over to the kitchen, which was closed, and they stayed open for us.  Sitting and talking, asking about our trip.  And when we left, she handed me the key to the spa, which was closed.  From Jesus to today, God knows the road you are on, and has a place for you.  Follow him to get there....even if it is cold and dark.

Monopoly taught us that five houses equal a hotel.  A hotel is one night, 5 houses a weeklong ride.  Don’t be in such a hurry you miss Jesus.  He is found in the least likely of places, and if the inn is full, try the barn.  One night in Bethlehem it served as the entry of Jesus into the world.  What Jewish theologian would have predicted that?  One road at a time, the one you are on.  Isn’t it good that God has a plan for you, and your ride?  One day at a time, one road at a time.  Like in details, it is the smaller back roads where we see the hand of God.  And get to eat of his harvest.  Where the cattle you pass will someday be the special, the cows your milk for your breakfast.  Deal with the splinter, build the house, let God add unto you.  And as long as there is room for him in your house, you will never be lonely or hungry.  See you on the road....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com