Daily Driver

I wrote this piece last year between Christmas and New Year for my chapter's newsletter.  I am a member of CMA, the Christian Motorcyclists' Association, and often find myself talking with others about our bikes on the way to talking to them about Jesus. I thought this was appropriate for the time of the year.


Dec. 24, 2009

Daily Driver

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m a “Daily Rider.”  Yep, I drive my bike every day.  Heck, I even got rid of my truck a couple of years ago just so I wouldn’t have any excuse to not be a “Daily Rider.” Yep, we’re a ONE-car family and my wife drives it. I really find it quite unbelievable how someone would choose to drive something other than his or her motorcycle.  I mean, really, the experience and exhilaration of a 2-wheeled steed, or the daily commute in a mini-van; the choice is a no-brainer.  Yes sir, I am a sold out for freedom on two wheels “Daily Rider.”

There was that other day though when I took the van. Well, I was sick, sniffly really.  And anyway I have asthma, and colds always settle in my chest, and that could be dangerous, so for health reasons only, I took the van.  Yep, being an every day rider is a badge of honor really.  There was that day last week when I took the car, (my son’s car actually, I forgot to mention that one earlier), because it was the last day of school before Christmas break.  The kids always bring in gifts for their teachers.  It would have been unsafe to try to pack all those gifts on the bike, so for safety reasons only, I took the car.  Now, don’t get the wrong idea, I ride my bike every day. But not two Tuesdays ago, it was like 30 degrees and foggy out side.  My wife was so on my back about taking the van because it was not safe to ride in to work that day.  She would not let up; she was relentless.  I had all my bad weather gear all laid out and I was ready to go, but to show my wife that I valued her opinion I took the van.  But every other day I am out there on my bike, feeling the wind across my face.

Excuses really ruin a person’s credibility don’t they?  It’s so important to do what you say and say what you do.  Jesus kept it very simple.  He said, “I am the way the truth and the light.”  He didn’t complicate things or make contingency plans. In Matthew 5, He taught His disciples many things of importance, but one little thing stands out as a standard for our relationships with others.  He said, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”  I am always surprised by the simplicity of Jesus’ teachings, and at the same time their complexity.  The simplicity comes from Him; the complexity is our contribution to the recipe.

The guy in our story, (me, and maybe someone else you know), is making a complete muddle of the freedom that we have at our disposal for reaching others with the gospel.  What other tool have we been given that is better at opening up conversational opportunities with complete strangers?  I can hardly get gas without it turning into a 15-minute stop because an opportunity to talk to a new friend presents itself.  That’s why He chose us, and that’s why He put us here; to talk to others about motorcycles, about funny stories, about Him, and about what He did to change our life.  What could be simpler?  You, The Spirit, a motorcycle, and a complete stranger; it’s God’s recipe for a Divine appointment.

So here it is, another New Year, another clean slate, another 365 opportunities to advance His kingdom by getting on our bike and being open and obedient to meet whoever and do whatever He places in our path.  It’s not at all complicated if we follow the directions He gives us.  Who knows what might be going on in the life of that guy behind you in line at the burger shop?  No one can say what your 30-second investment of time will have in the life of that sixteen-year-old girl at the next gas pump.  You could be part of Jesus’ plan to plant a seed of faith or reap a harvest planted long ago by some other faithful servant.  It takes one thing from you, consistent obedience.  So, TODAY, let’s decide to ride for God.  As you put your riding gear on today, imagine that it is the Full Armor of our Lord, protecting us as we go on our way and aiding us in being God’s salt and light to the world. 

Peace and Joy,

Sal

The Nail

For a large majority of the population, Christmas is a time of joy.  I'm not saying that everyone is giddy about all the things that Christmas brings, but most of us find at least one or two things that we like about the holiday.  My favorite things about Christmas are the extended time off (I'm a teacher, so I get a few days to just relax and enjoy this time of year) and cooking all the things we have adopted as parts of our family's Christmas traditions.  I love getting up and doing the stuff I want to do especially when I can involve one of the kids.  Some folks love the giving (and getting) of gifts.  Others look forward to the traditions of Christmas themselves, the things we only do at this time of year.  There is one tradition that I look forward to, if you can call it that, that our family started a few years ago;  the placing of the nail on the tree.

Christ came to Earth in the form of a baby on Christmas day, most folks know this even if they don't place their faith in Him as their Savior and Lord.  I know that He didn't actually come to Earth on "Christmas," that Christmas is a created holiday, but He he did come to us on "a" day some 2000 years ago, and I choose to celebrate Christmas as that day.  Christmas is much bigger than that though, it's the tip of the proverbial ice berg when it comes to the Christian faith.  If all Christ had done was come to Earth on that day then He made a mistake, and Our God makes no mistakes.  Everything He does is purposeful.  The bigger thing that we need to understand is that, even as a baby, it was Jesus' plan that day to redeem us from our sinful state some thirty years later.

To this end, we place an eight inch hand cut nail on the Christmas tree first, before anything else goes on it.  The nail is unseen, placed way back in the branches against the trunk. If one of the family didn't show it to you, you'd never know it was there.  The nail is also the last thing to come off of the tree when we take the adornments down from it.  When we put it on and take it off we remind ourselves that Jesus came on Christmas so that He could die on Easter, so that our redemption could be completed in his living and His dying.

I don't want this to be a downer, on the contrary, this nail represents the greatest news I could ever hope to share with you.  I have a Savior named Jesus who: left His throne in Heaven, came to Earth as a baby on Christmas day, live a perfect and sinless life (something I could never do), He told us about the way to Heaven through belief in Him, took my sins and the sins of EVERYONE upon Himself, suffered unimaginable pain and grief, died a death meant for me, then....... rose three days later from the dead, He defeated Satan, redeemed my soul (and yours), ascended back to Heaven, and sits waiting at the right hand of God until the day He will come to claim those who believe in Him as Lord and Savior.  That is the Good news that the Nail represents to me.  I am His, and nothing will separate me form Him now or ever.

Why?

What started this whole thing?

On November 3^rd 2006, I was reading Psalm 3 while I sat in my old pickup eating lunch.  I remember the day because I had decided 2 days earlier that I could no longer stay in the office where I work and eat lunch, so great was my distaste for my current working conditions.  I had just started the month by being newly demoted from a position in sales to a position as an office team member.  I was infuriated by my employer for a lot of things, most of which, in retrospect, she was not responsible for, but at the time she was the target of my anger.  I remember it was Psalm 3 because I had decided that I would do anything to avoid going back into the office earlier than absolutely necessary, and reading a Psalm a day would delay that distasteful act for a couple of minutes at least.  And so it was that I mechanically picked up the copy of the Bible that I kept in the console two days previous and bean reading God’s word for the first time in a long while.  I “read” the first two bits with all the enthusiasm I could muster, which wasn’t much.  And I started the same way on day three, when I got to the word BUT.  

³But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

That one sentence started everything that has occurred since.  

I started writing, journaling really.

I wrote letters to my Sunday school class.

I wrote letters to my pastors.

I wrote 2 or 3 bible studies.

I wrote comments to be shared during a choir presentation.

I wrote articles I shared, and some I didn’t.

I started looking at life differently;  as something worth living.

About 10 months ago, I realized that an idea I had for a story, which I had shared with a few friends hoping one of them would take the idea and run with it, was really meant for me to write.  I shared this revelation with my wife and a couple of close friends, but so far, I have avoided it and the advise they gave me concerning it.  To tell you the truth, I’m actually kind of afraid to do it; the storyline that I outlined is just way too similar to my own life.  I’m afraid of how much it may hurt to go through the process of writhing the story (if that makes sense).  My wife, who I claim now is the most Un-Nagging woman to whom any man could ever hope to be matched, made a sideways suggestion a few weeks ago, that if I was going to avoid writing the book, I could at least write a blog.  I laughed and suggested it could be called, “Running away from God.”  One thing leads to another….

So this forum will be a mix of stuff:  some that I wrote several months/years ago, and some that I have taken pen to recently.  I don’t figure that any of it will really change the world, but if any of it gets through to you I’d appreciate you letting me know.  

Joy… and Peace,

Sal