I was unusually excited to go to a family dinner, as my two oldest nephews
would be there. They both ride, they both ride old Triumphs, and so I was even
more excited riding my new 2001 Triumph to see them. I had just picked it up
from Mickey, and the first 70 miles was bliss. Upon arriving they all came out
when they heard me pull up, and with 19 nieces and nephews, I had a small but
eager crowd. After letting the two older ones sit on it, the younger ones were
cool enough to know not to touch a hot bike, I went to start it, and nothing.
As in no sound, no lights....and inside I panicked. 70 miles and now it won’t
start? And trying to avoid the old axiom the larger the audience the larger the
chance of embarrassment, I said “let’s check it out after we eat,” when one of
the youngest ones, about five years old says “Uncle Mike, what’s this button
for?” He pointed at the kill switch, which my older nephew who should have
known better pushed, effectively cutting all power to the starter. Suddenly
there were lights, and a push of the starter brought the bike to life! All were
happy, none more than me, and a lesson learned, stored in my memory for future
use as needed......
After putting a new battery in my Tiger 1050, the gas gauge and miles to
empty trip computer didn’t work. Figuring it would take a few miles to rest, it
didn’t, I began to panic, mildly, and Googled my problem, and the Triumph blogs
came up. Where one poor sap had the same no start problem with his new bike,
and after all the internet geniuses told him how to rewire it, reboot the
computer, or trade it in, he wrote back about the kill switch. Which made me
smile but didn’t help my problem. Until I suddenly found myself smiling, and
found the remedy I needed. I had become a slave to the electrics, and somehow
ridden hundreds of thousands of miles without a fuel gauge. So resetting the
trip meter, I rode 100 miles, filled up, and noted it took 2.5 gallons, or half
a tank. And using my public school math from Mrs. Parks, discovered I could go
200 miles till empty, and would fill up long before that! DUH!!! A high tech
victory for this low tech guy, and problem solved! All by myself. And without
the benefit of an audience to help...
Ask any Christian “do you trust Jesus?” and of course they answer “Of
course.” Telling the truth to a certain degree. It seems as long as the bike
starts and the fuel gauge works all is right in my world, but let a crisis set
in, and panic begins. Which usually has been there and just looking for a good
reason to show up. Too many value Christ as what he is doing for them, nice
house, fast bikes that start, and good health. Always eager to pray for you,
and brag on themselves, using Jesus’ name. “Just look at us, we tithe, we do
Bible studies, we give to missions. We got to church on more than Easter and
Christmas...” and the list goes on, but doesn’t help. They have missed the
message of the gospel, of how God loved us he sent Jesus to save us, not reward
us with the thing of life. Many times their actions not differing from an
atheist, with no sign of God other than a bumper sticker. But let them have
trouble, and the whole world stops. It is all about them, and the Christ they
worship doesn’t show up. No matter how much they rub the lamp their genie fails
to appear. At least to them. They become panicked, and like those who rushed
to the tomb of Jesus, and found it empty, They had missed the message of his
resurrection, and until faced with it hadn’t given it or him much thought.
Sound familiar....God knows, do you?
Jesus asked “why do you call me Lord but do not do the things I ask?” He
doesn’t ask for much, just our broken hearts and lives so he can save us and
make us new in him. With one commandment of love him and our fellow man, but
when we serve a false Jesus, we miss the true message. Just like a button
pushed by accident and the bike not starting, we fail to give it all to Jesus,
and to let him work in us, placing us above, and him to follow. Maybe not
intentionally, but in reality we do. Maybe we need to ask like my nephew did,
“Uncle Mike, who is Jesus, what did he die for?” And watch as suddenly life
starts anew, with him as Lord.
Now your situation may be more difficult than a no start situation, but
today you can start a new relationship in Jesus. Or renew an old one, and be
set free. If he can save us for heaven, can he not heal the sick, feed the
hungry, visit those in jail or the hospital, even if that person is you? That
afternoon I had an audience watching, and all my motorycling reputation was on
display. How I handled it would say more about me than the problem. And true
to form, the gospel came alive, as “a child shall lead them...” Jesus loves to
hear your questions, do you love to hear his answers? Or has your good fortune
rewritten the gospel for you? Jesus came to save, leaving his spirit to
comfort, guide, counsel, and give encouragement. He once spoke to a man via an
ass, so why not speak to an ass via a child? “Uncle Mike, what’s that Jesus
sticker for?” Glad you asked, let me tell you about my friend Jesus....
Lucas was the Prince of Darkness, Jesus is light and love. Something to
remember next time your bike won’t start. Or your fuel gauge breaks. And you
thought he only drove in one Accord....and of course you remembered to turn on
the pet cock, didn’t you?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com