My early experience with 2 stroke motorcycles had been one in a haze of
blue smoke. While the Wildman rode his Mach III Kawasaki, and needed to fill
his oil when he got gas, which was frequently, the rest of us only changed it
when the manual said to. So most 2 strokes were foreign to me, or main
impression was they smoked a lot, they did, they rattled a lot, they did, and
they went pretty fast, they did. And somehow the ring a ding ding exhaust note
never intrigued me, unlike Harley a few years ago trying to patent their potato
potato exhaust note. Briggs and Stratton made 4 strokes for lawn mowers, go
karts, and tractors, so I mostly grew up in a 4 stroke world. Until I had my
eyes opened when I went to work selling Suzukis in 1975. That is all they had,
and a poster on the showroom wall depicted all the parts from a Honda motor had
a Suzuki didn’t, and how 2 strokes were superior. And as I was taught about 2
strokes, found it fascinating they never needed valve adjustments, and the
valves weren’t hydraulic. Or mechanical either, how could this be? And soon I
became the joke, “the new guy doesn’t know 2 strokes have no valves.” And soon
I was asked all kinds of foolish questions, ignorance can demand a high price
from those who know it all. And so if someone asks about valve clearances on a
2 stroke, refer them to the Bertle overdrive specs....and smile and run.
A few years later found me selling American Motors cars, all 4 strokes,
with a guy named Chambless. Who was a good friend, but a joker. One day while
waiting for his Jeep to be serviced, a man walked through the showroom, and
looking under a Wagoneer, saw this blue “thing” underneath and asked Chambless
what it was. He explained it was a Bertle overdrive, all Jeeps have one. With
this new found knowledge firm in hand, he went back and asked his service
advisor if his Jeep had one, so the advisor went to his manager, who went to
parts, who called the Jeep factory in Toledo. There is no such thing as a
Bertle overdrive. That blue “thing” he saw was the QuadraTrac differential. No
one bothered to look under the Jeep, but they all knew how to run to someone
else. Now about those valves on the 2 stroke...
You see life can be like the two blondes looking at the moon one night on a
sunny California beach. One turns to the other and asks “I wonder what is
closer, Florida or the moon?” The other one immediately answered “the moon
silly, you can’t see Florida form here.” It is not known if her car had a
Bertle overdrive, and still no specs for valve adjustments. And so there will
always be questions that have no answers, like how much dirt in a hole three
feet deep? None, it’s a hole. Even if you can see it from here. And if a
train leaves Chicago for Los Angeles, what time does in arrive in Miami? And if
it is a 2 stroke diesel, do its valves need adjusting? Like a sign on a gas
station once when traveling, NO AIR, provoked the question, then how do they
breathe?” Maybe it’s a good thing the tire was only flat on the bottom....and
where can I find the 710 fluid my car needs?
But the study to find themselves approved crowd too can leave themselves
open. Open your Bible to Hezekiah 3, verse 12, and read it. Still looking,
there is no book of Hezekiah in the Bible, but the first time I saw a preacher
direct his congregation there, after a few embarrassing seconds of frantic page
turning, he told the truth to them. They had grown complacent in their walk
with God and thought they knew it all. They had a reputation as a great
teaching church, but were found lacking in an education. A self sufficiency had
snuck in, a form of pride, and they were tripped up by it. They, us had fallen
into the spirit of antichrist, not the antichrist, but the spirit of in place of
Jesus. In this case it was knowledge, in big churches it can be attendance, it
can be about having a well know pastor, or great worship leader. They may be
known as a praying church, but have fallen prey to their own pride. Great on
the outside but rotting on the inside. Success may mean meeting all their
financial obligations, but falling short when it comes to the things of God.
They may even appear spiritual, but find all their wisdom in Hezekiah. And in
the books of Corinthians, we see it is not new to us, they mastered it 2000
years ago.
They had become complacent, thinking they had arrived. They knew it all,
based on their standards. They thought of themselves as rich, but were in fact
very poor. And Paul had to address this to a church that was looked up to, and
known as a mover and shaker. Yes all the gifts of the spirit were evident, but
then they started to become complacent, almost an “I can take it from here
Lord,” attitude. Like the last few miles of a ride when you get a ticket, I’m
closer to home, I can do it myself. Only to find the CHP has a different
version...
We may leave a service thinking what a great service it was, we liked the
teaching, the music was great, and the fellowship. But have you become
complacent, the same thing each service, with no challenges from the spirit? Do
you think your knowledge will get you by, until someone smarter comes along? Do
you know all the verses to Amazing Grace, carry a big Bible? Have stickers on
your bumper to prove you are a Christian? Is your pride evident to others, so
much you think you have arrived? Do you feel rich because you gave more tithes
this year, but grimaced each time you wrote a check? Is having no money
problems your biggest problem? Has knowledge become your guiding light, but
forgotten about wisdom? Are their secret cliques forming in the church,
following a pastor or man, much as some followed Paul or Apollos? Have you
become complacent in your walk with God and you don’t know it. “I’m successful,
leave me alone,” they exclaim, until tragedy strikes. And they are found
wanting. Maybe the moon is closer than Florida, based on what they can see, but
not believe. They cry about rights, but deny responsibility. Have you become
complacent?
At one time I wanted to be out front, to succeed in all things for God, but
found I get more done sitting in the back row and letting the spirit guide. God
knows what lies ahead, where the CHP waits, and how to adjust the valves on a 2
stroke. He can locate a Bertle overdrive, see Florida from wherever he is, and
is on the right train on the right track to Miami. From Chicago. He knows how
empty the holes in your life are, not only quotes scripture, but is scripture.
Jesus is the word, are you in the word, or is the word in you?
What is the first thing you ask someone who asks you for directions?
“Where are you?” Do you know where you are in Christ? Have you asked lately?
Better to ask now and avoid getting lost later, and giving God the credit where
credit is due. Unless God builds the church we labor in vain. We are the
church, our bodies a temple where the holy spirit dwells. When the world was
created and without form, the spirit gave it form and life. And he can do it
for you too.
Now pick a number between 1 and 10. No that’s not it.....and for those who
can’t dial 911 because there is no 11 button on the phone...
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com