He would let me drive his car often and when we went cruising, in our land of SS 396’s, Comet GT’s, Javelins, Trans Ams, and other big blocks, it seemed his car always gathered a crowd, and many challenges were made, but none ever accepted. Vinny wasn’t a racer, his car was, and no one would ever know just how quick and fast it really was. He could rightfully claim he never lost a race, but never had one either. The mystique of the Boss 302 was enough, even girls loved it, the ultimate chick magnet. Vinny’s horse was a purebred, and highly collectible today, in fact I see more today at auctions than we ever saw on the streets 45 years ago. Sadly when the gas crisis hit in 1973, it became too expensive to drive, and was sold someone who loved it and took care of it. But every time I see an orange Boss 302, I think of Vinny and the parking lot challenge, and his reply, “we already have enough old cars on our property, we don’t need another.” A victory before any race ever started. He might not have been the brightest crayon in the box, but his car sure was....
In the Wild One, Johnny played by Marlon Brando was asked “what are you rebelling against?” His classic answer “whatta ya got?” tells more about the man and his lifestyle than any biography. Maybe a question we need to ask ourselves is “what do we have?” Do we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior, or is he a Sunday exercise, and a CEO church visit, Christmas and Easter only? So many Americans claim to be Christians based on church attendance, family heritage, or tradition. But ask yourself “what do you have in Jesus?” A quick but revealing exercise may tell us more about ourselves than we care to admit. In our relationship with Jesus, do we get excited when we hear good news? When we see a prayer answered, a friend saved? Or do we respond with criticism, as in “he’s faking it, God would never save him.” How many people have said that about me. Does your faith and response encourage others? Next time you pray, listen to yourself. Do you really thank Jesus, or is it just a rote prayer? Do you recognize who he is and what he has done? When you do, your prayer life changes. I listen more than ask, but when I do ask I trust the spirit, the four toughest words you will ever pray, “thy will be done.” Do you pray for your enemies also? Not save him Lord then let him get hit by a bus, but a true prayer asking God to save him and make him family, and call him brother. Most of us stop there, no words needed to explain. Do we give him thanks even in our darkest moments, realizing in our adversity we see a side of Jesus we would otherwise miss? Ever think of that? Try it...let all trials be welcome in Jesus.
Do your actions back up your words? Do you show love only in words or among other Christians, or do you truly love Jesus enough to love publicly, even at a risk? It has been said our reactions are more important than our actions, who do give praise to, and do you curse the same one when things aren’t going your way? Love one another so that the world may see that you belong to Jesus. We are not in competition with the world, but a heavenly battle is going on right now, and Jesus has already won it. Don’t you just love to be a winner? Here’s a question, does God want you happy? Blessings means happinesses, and God is abundant in them, he knows you and the passions you have, and supplies them. But is your passion for him and his people? Joy is not necessarily the absence of suffering, but the presence of Christ in a life and situation. Do you want to be holy as he is holy, whole in your relationship and in your walk? Not holier than though, there again that love that only can come from Jesus and shines through you. Do you feel clean and forgiven, do you live like we have been set free from sin and ungodliness? Are we more concerned about others than us? He paid an enormous price for us, has he become part of our character? It is easy to become a Christian, but living the life of one takes commitment, Jesus is committed, are we?
Vinny’s horse had a reputation even before any challenges. When asked “whatta ya got?” he just answered a Mustang, not a Boss. Do we have Jesus or just another religious person? Are there plenty of old cars on your old property that need renewing or getting rid of? Same with sin, the world will present many challenges, Jesus has risen above them all, and in him we can too. I find I win more battles because I pick better ones. I have nothing to prove to anyone except Jesus in my life, isn’t that enough? Vinny’s horse got a lot of attention, and a lot of girls. It got respect and as far as I know he never raced it. He was above all the challenges, he knew what he had. Do we really know who and what we have in Jesus? If your life is like one of the old cars at Vinny’s estate, maybe you need a change, you need Jesus. Maybe just a simple tune up to let out all of the horses, maybe a wash and wax job to be cleaned up. Or maybe just a dose of humility, to remind us of who we are in Christ. By the way, no one ever asked what other old junk cars were at Vinny’s house. Too bad, since his dad owned a trucking company and had lots of cool cars, just sitting getting dirty that needed drivers. To him the Boss was just another used car, but to us, much more. Seems old cars and old lives can be taken for granted, don’t let Jesus be the same way. Vinny’s horse was way cool....and made up for any lack of our coolness. All those cool old cars on Vinny’s estate and no one ever asked “whatta ya got?” I guess when you are the Boss, everything else is a step down....To Vinny old cars, to the world old useless people, to Jesus a treasure. Cue to Sha Na Na...and Bowser, ”why do fools fall in love....”
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com
