It started when Stu sent me a picture of a 1978 Suzuki GS1000E for sale,
just like mine. Well almost, as this bike was perfect, almost too perfect, and
the asking price was high, I know, mine is for sale for less with no takers.
Now mine is perhaps a good 5 footer, from 5 feet away looks great, but it has
patina from being almost 40 years old and being ridden. This other bike for
sale had about the same miles, but was too shiny, too clean, and too perfect.
Although the odometer showed miles, I doubted if it had really been ridden
anywhere, and isn’t that what a motorcycle is for, to be ridden? To take us
places? To get out and ride? For fun while we own it rather than saving it for
an investment later?
Then while having tires put on my old Tiger 955 yesterday, a few flaws were
noted. The chain guard I had tie wrapped together in an emergency, the various
scrapes and small scratches all testified of a bike that has been ridden, and at
over 103,000 miles still is. Not perfect, and it shows. And in both cases my
bikes show a patina of being ridden, no trailer queens or garage girls, they are
ridden, and the miles show on them. And on me too. But last night patina took
a different turn for me, while looking at on old baseball glove in the garage.
Now I haven’t played in 20 years, a shoulder so bad I cannot throw anymore, but
yet I keep this old glove handy right next to the helmets and bike parts.
It is a 1968 Rawlings Fast Back, the first model of its style. It replaced
an old McGregor outfielders glove, a Willie Mays signature model, with the long
fingers of an outfield glove. Which I finally wore out. And for my $16.95 1968
paper route money, I replaced it with the new glove, a Mickey Mantle signature
model, and it came with a book by the Mick on how to play baseball. And being
40 years old it is worn pretty well, but my hand fits into it perfectly, funny
how I never equated fits like a glove to a baseball mitt. The back is faded
from the sun, the Rawlings label gone, only stitching remains, and the pocket is
still there from ground balls playing third base, and then moving to left field
when my chin couldn’t take it any more. Even a few shoelaces holding the
fingers together don’t match, where between innings you did quick repairs. And
as I held the glove, put it on, and saw how well it fit, so many memories came
back to me. Who knows how many humid afternoons in Jersey hardened the inner
heal, or the tips of the fingers showed wear from ground balls. Not as fancy as
anything today, it was personal, it fit my hand, and like the imperfections on
my bikes, there were memories of how they got there. Worn but not worn out,
just like its owner.
Now patina is in this year, after so many better than it left the factory
restorations, cars, trucks, and motorcycles are now being left as found, with a
patina of wear. True it is only original once, so the market has come out with
a clear coat to apply over the old patina and keep it looking old. It can even
be applied by brush and leave no brush strokes. So the old doesn’t get any
older. Maybe a fountain of youth for old cars, not returning them to youth as
Ponce De Leon sought out to find, but keeping them at the age the clear coat was
applied. And somehow I felt cheated when I read that, the aging process is
over, and the car is now frozen in time, to be remembered as it was the day it
was clear coated. No more wear and tear on the paint, it will be up to the
seats and steering wheel to show wear, if it even gets driven. Suddenly my old
Suzuki took on a new character of its own, I wanted to ride it, and the lack of
flaws on the perfect bike for sale became a flaw all its own. It was perfect,
that was its only flaw.
Scripture tells us an empty stall stays clean, but makes no money. Quite a
telling insight about life. And us. If bad decisions make the best stories,
they also make the best testimonies when we come to Christ. How we were, how he
changed us and still is, and how we are now. It is with fondness we look back
at the tough times, just the opposite of how we did at the time they were
happening. When the Bible tells us that he who sinned much is forgiven much,
how much more we have to thank God for his forgiveness, yet we are all on the
same level playing field, as he forgives all. For all, is they who accept
Jesus. But the patina of life stays, only the heart from the inside out is
changed, and many scars are still seen, which make the best testimonies. Yet
many shy away from the stories, thinking they have to keep God perfect, to show
others how great he is, never telling how he changed them. I know a man who had
a heart condition, a serious one, and had his heart drained. Yet will shy away
from telling it, his pride too great to admit he was once weak and in need of
Jesus. And in doing so is robbing others of hearing the greatness of God, and
encouraging others to trust him in their situation. He wants his stall to
remain clean spiritually, but like the mask Moses once wore to keep the people
from seeing how the glory of God had left his face, we see behind the mask. And
so does God. Maybe a quick Jeremiah lesson is in order here.....
Through his ministry which lasted 40 years of pain and prosperity, he
learned God is sovereign, he has control over the earth, down to protecting us
in our situations. He saw the ruthlessness of God when the hard hearted
continually turned against him. He saw the faithfulness as God stayed true to
the scriptures, HIS word, and not ours. And finally he learned to suffer, to
obtain a spiritual patina, to see how God suffered towards the lost, and see the
tenderness of God. Via his spirit, translated into actions. He learned first
hand how much God loves us, why he sent Jesus so we can return to him, and how
the tender heart of God reaches out to sinners, still today. Despite our
wanderings, he still seeks us today, just as we are. Just as the people in
Jeremiah’s time were...maybe the old Rawlings motto said it best, “the finest in
the field.” Now go out and play! And tell others.
He even cried out how he wished he had never been born, but in his turmoil
trusted God and saw his mercy and grace at work, despite and in spite of the
situation. Leaving him with a patina of his love, that is shared via the
scriptures today. Suddenly patina can now be seen through the eyes of a loving
God, who sees the imperfections and still loves us. Today I bear a scar from
having my aorta replacement, a scar that some would call ugly. Unsightly, less
than perfect. But that scar shows the perfection of Jesus in my life, how
without him I would be dead, and it is beautiful to me. A reminder I carry with
me always to remind me of Jesus Christ and his love for me. Of my failures, and
his forgiveness, my pain and his relief. Of his mercy how he changed my heart.
Literally and spiritually.
There are no clean stalls in my testimony, whether it be motorcycles,
baseball gloves, or my life. I have seen and continue to see the spirit at work
in my life, adding patina daily. And behind each imperfection a perfect
heavenly father there with me. Maybe that is why the smell of grease and oil,
of racing castor still excite me. Times when I look back on are precious, and
imperfect. When the struggles were present and I was not up to the task. But
my God was, and is, and will be. Share the patina of your soul with others
today, you are only original once, and there is only one Jesus. You are that
special to him, don’t you think that is a story worth repeating? It is written
how will they hear if no one tells them? Clean barns make no money...and stay
empty. Hmmmmm.....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com