Once upon a time, when you heard Pontiac you thought GTO or Firebird.
Bonneville. Mention Chevy and shades of Corvettes danced in your head.
SS454. She’s real fine my 409. Cadillac meant you had made it, you were
rich. Ford meant Mustang, we all wanted one, and Ford obliged. Mention
Plymouth and you thought Hemi, Dodge brought Chargers to mind. American cars
ruled the world. But imports, not from Japan yet, were an interesting blend.
Mercedes Benz was high end, BMW still was “British what?”, Volkswagen sold the
most imported cars in the states, MG’s were the budget sports car, we all wanted
a Jaguar XKE, the French gave us sense of humor with the Peugeot and Citroen,
the Japanese were still trying to sell us horrible little cars, in this pre OPEC
world. Mention each brand and your mind’s eye brings a car and a situation to
mind, but then there is Volvo. What did Volvo bring to mind? Remember they
were sold on safety, something no one was talking about, crude but basic cars,
that a college professor would drive, that someone bought on a whim because it
was safer than the Olds of his father. Who thought individuality meant being
different, not the butt of a joke. A car built well, but lacking in amenities
and style. A car that seemed to last forever, born on the tundra of Sweden
along with SAAB, mostly black, but safe. The ads said so, and based on a crash,
you stood a better chance of survival. But they never mentioned the driver, nor
his skills, and many of the Volvo owners we knew, were horrible drivers, feeling
the safety attributes of their car made up for lack of driving skills. It takes
skill to pilot a 427 Vette, but a 90 horsepower 4 cylinder, my go kart went
faster. But as the owners bragged, they were safer, and maybe they were. But
did a safer car make a safer driver?
In 1956 Ford tried to sell safety, and failed. Today so many moms under
the influence of i-phones and SUV’s have the same skills the old Volvo owners
had, but feel safe because of all the safety features in their vehicle. You
still cannot make a car stupid proof. As they weave through traffic...I am not
against safe cars, air bags work, but must have seat belts worn to be effective,
I still am wary of some so-called accident avoidance features available, and
Volvos still soldier on. A far cry from my parents old wagon, nicknamed “the
Dog,” because it slept wherever it was parked. Bought and sold by Ford, they
today still sell cars, but cannot based on safety alone, and have moved
upscale. They once were a snob car, at least to Mercedes Benz owners who knew
better, and those of us who liked to go fast never fell for them. The Volvos
have changed, only the drivers have stayed the same, not very good. With the
exception of one P.L. Newman, who once had a Ford Boss 302 installed in his
wagon, don’t mess with him, remember The Sting? But the Volvo driver mentality
hangs on, devoid of young owners, as Alfred P. Sloan once commented, “you can
sell a young man’s car to an old man, you cannot sell a old man’s car to a young
man.” A Volvo is an old man’s car, and so I have never met a Volvo that I wanted
to own....
But yet we once were part of a Volvo press release in Sonoma. Riding back
from Canada on our Triumph Sprint RS, we stayed at The Lodge at Sonoma, my son
worked for Marriott. When we pulled in, they were introducing their new SUV,
and hundreds of press types were there, if for nothing else the food and a
chance to abuse someone else’s car. But when we pulled in, the crowd gravitated
to us, and the stories of Triumphs in the past started, they were interested in
the new Triumphs and we made some new friends. Until the large Swedish woman
with the clipboard, banged on it and reminded them why they were there. Triumph
1, Volvo 0, and I wondered, how many of the automotive types were excited about
another SUV, at least they would be safer, but under the influence of
motorcycle, it was speed, handling, and fun that won out. And every time I see
a Volvo, I am reminded of how bad a driver they are, my neighbor with two for
his kids a good example. As they sit parked, one leaking oil, and the other a
just sitting. What car isn’t safe when parked in its driveway?
A popular but incorrect story is told when you come to Christ all your
problems go away. Which leads some to think they can live as they please, with
no regard for God and his scriptures. Some wish him to be a genie in a lamp,
performing their every wish, at their command. Some feel invincible, “I’m going
to heaven you cannot hurt me,” and still live like hell. Or drive like it.
They have been given a false sense of security, only memorize scripture that
promises them good things, and if they get sick, well it must be the devil’s
fault. Or they were in sin. God would never allow that to happen to them, the
are special, important. More important to any one who is sick, or having
troubles. They are superior, and feel safer just like Volvo owners, with no
regard for other traffic. Safe and secure in the fast lane at 50, for better
mileage, cursing those who honk at them, “I’m a Christian, I’m better than
you.” And they are so far from the truth.
If you sign up for God to get things, you have missed the message. For
just as the rain falls on the Chevy and the Ford drivers, it falls on Volvos
too, and the sinner and saint. Yes things are better, you are going to heaven,
you have the promises of God to assure you, but we are to change to meet God’s
standard, not bring him down to ours. As we get closer to Jesus, we see things
through his eyes, in the spirit, and see sin differently. We see the damage it
makes, and as our heart changes, we see Jesus not as a spiritual “thou shalt not
enjoy thyself God,” but one who loves you and wants the best for you. He erases
all the illusions and replaces them with truth, and his love. Mercy and grace.
We are forgiven, truly born again. God wants us to enjoy life, he is not a
comic joy killer, if we think a certain thing in itself will bring us permanent
joy, we are wrong, but mixed in with God’s grace, when we see it through God’s
eyes it is everlasting. God has set up ways for us to live, and when we
interfere, we have accidents, and no safety feature will save us from
ourselves. Stupid hurts, sin divides, only God heals. The brochures may tell
of performance and style, safety and luxury, what does God’s brochure, the Bible
tell about him? If he was a car would you buy him? A plane fly in him? Based
on his promises, yet we stray and believe lies, and live like hell, hoping we
won’t end up there.
So when we read “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” while
some think fear, God means honor and respect of him. We are to trust his
superior wisdom, his truth, but until we do, we are just an old Volvo driver,
thinking all is well because my car is safe. The true secret of life is Jesus
Christ himself, without him you will still have some good rides, maybe some safe
rides, for he still loved us while we were yet sinners, but we miss out on the
joy, the love, his peace and patience, which are only found via his spirit. The
secret of life is God’s presence in yours, the gospel, which is good news. And
unlike cars over the years which change, Jesus never does, you don’t have to be
introduced to new doctrine or revelations, what may be new to us is eternal to
him. And we all are invited....
Still struggling with God, trying to tell him what to do? Still demanding
and not respecting? He is patient...which leads to salvation. God will not
give up being who he is to placate us, it is us who must change to be like him.
Ever give up on God and say “he doesn’t work, look I prayed?” He hasn’t given
up on you, his safety feature of mercy is in high gear. You cannot outrun a
loving God, and unlike the Volvo you just passed, nothing can be added onto him,
or subtracted form him to increase him. Or his love for you. God made it that
way on purpose...and his purpose for your life is to know Jesus. That simple.
So are you a lousy driver feeling safe in a so-called safety car, or are
you using the skills to avoid accidents? Do you just have a license or know how
to drive? Are you a Christian feeling safe because of the scripture you know,
or based on the one who inspired it by is spirit? We all want more performance,
only in Jesus will you get all you need. With meekness, the power to get it to
the ground. Even a low performance Volvo spins its wheels and loses
traction...mention Volvo and what do you think of? Mention Jesus and who do you
think of? There is power and there is safety, only the saved in Christ will
ever know the real difference.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com