My friend Chuck had only ridden Harleys his whole life. For some thirty
plus years they were all he knew. And with his latest new edition, he bragged
about how fast and smooth it was. And all the Harley types agreed with him, as
he would know. But he had never ridden a Triumph, and one afternoon I talked
him into riding my Sprint RS, and his whole world was about to change. By the
first light, he was all smiles inside his helmet, “this thing is fast!” And
after a few miles later stopping for a Coke, “man this thing is smooth! You
were right...” It seems he knew a lot about Harleys, just not motorcycles. So
if I agreed with him, we’d both be wrong.
My Press Bike of the month was a Rocket 3, with more torque at idle than a
Harley has max. Now Harley guys like to talk torque, not horsepower, and
another Harley only rider asked to ride it, after another Harley only rider did
and came back smiling. So trying to pace him down the 15, we found him frozen
behind the bars, scared, he thought he understood torque, until he had
experienced it. And it scared him, so much he got off and started cussing the
bike. When really it was his lack of riding skills that had been
exposed....Same guy, his bike this time, after having dropped $7000 in the
motor, bragged about how it had so much power the real wheel lost traction while
accelerating. “You have to ride it,” he kept begging, so I did. I actually got
115 mph downhill out of it, not bad for a slipping clutch. Seems the expert who
built the motor didn’t replace the clutch, the loss of traction perceived was
really the clutch slipping. When he finally replaced it, no more slipping, and
he was disappointed, he still thought he was losing traction before. Insisting
I don’t know anything about riding...or speed.
While yet another friend drops big bucks in his motor, but never goes over
70. Bragging on who built his motor, but never twisting the throttle to get his
money’s worth. Now not only Harley riders fall into this illusion of speed, and
not everyone has access to the variety of bikes I do. Like the Rocket 3 with a
Carpenter head, 220 honest dyno horsepower, naturally aspirated. 8.99@155 mph in the quarter. Stupid fast was the
sign a magazine hung on it, and it was. I can be stupid, but never quite that
stupid fast. There is fast, then there is fast, like Ray’s B King with 264
dyno horsepower, who buys rear tires by the six pack. So before you open your
mouth, it pays to know what you are talking about, or riding.
In Acts 2 we find a crowd assembled for Pentecost. As in any crowd some
are there for the event, some just along for the ride, and some forced to be
there. Now we don’t know the number of the Jews there to celebrate, or those
who thought maybe another free meal, the speaker was all about Jesus, or just
another place to hang out. Maybe just caught in traffic. But we do know that
3000 came to know the Lord that day, whose lives were changed forever by the
holy spirit. We don’t know where they were religiously, orthodox, Samaritan,
agnostic, Sadducees, or heathen, they were just assembled together, and the
spirit talked to each one in his own language. Many adhering to their only
religion, the way they knew God, until he opened their eyes and heart to him.
Many today are down on all religion, a tough argument, as each one tries to hold
its flock captive to its own Bible interpretation, but when the holy spirit
comes upon that same life, we are changed. Our eyes open to the truth of who
Jesus was and is, we go beyond rhetoric and it becomes personal. All we thought
we knew becomes like filthy rags, as the only relationship we had with God was
via religion. A new freedom erupts in the heart as we are set free, and truly
forgiven. Something no denomination can offer via its membership or set or
rules. You may be legalistic Baptist, know all the canons of being a Lutheran,
or follow the teachings of the Catholic church, but without Jesus, without your
day of personal Pentecost, you fall short. Truly you don’t know what you are
missing till you meet the Lord.
A relationship with God should not be like the relative speeds of our
bikes. Churches should not be in competition for members, and not look down on
others not as blessed as us. Our real enemy is the devil, and only Jesus can
change a heart, for only Jesus has defeated him. Only by his spirit will we
know the truth, walk in the truth, and know real salvation. Some may come close
in name only, offering a sort of Godliness, but lacking Jesus. They are like
the slipping clutch, never knowing real power, or getting to where it belongs.
They may know all about their religion, but know very little of Jesus. But
their day of reckoning is coming.
Sometime in your life, the spirit will confront you and you will have
to make a decision about Jesus. It could be tomorrow or even right now. It is
personal between you and God, maybe in church, on the beach, riding, or reading
this. The many miles of riding your religion come down to that one decision,
and will affect your future rides, and where you end up. There will always be
someone quicker, faster, bigger, or badder. So God tells us “not by might,”
that my brand shall set me free, “not by power,” should my dyno horsepower
exceed yours, “but my spirit,says the Lord.” By his spirit, a gift so that none
shall boast. One day 3000 in the crowd found real power, real might, and real
love, real forgiveness in Jesus Christ. The messenger, one who had denied Jesus
just a few weeks ago, but by his spirit had his life changed forever.
What you ride may be important, but who you walk with makes all the
difference. An eternal difference. It doesn’t matter what the other guy rides,
it is what you ride and believe. Try Jesus today, just one ride will change your
mind and life forever. Only in Jesus can we both be right!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com