Biker Bill

Are we having fun yet?

I’ve been thinking about Biker Bill lately. I don’t know why, because I really never got a chance to spend time with him. I vaguely remember meeting him a couple of times when he came by the property to visit with my father-in-law. At that time I was not yet a member of CMA (Christian Motorcyclists’ Association), but dad and Bill were. I do remember one thing very clearly about Bill, that he was joyful. When I walked up to greet him and ask dad a question, he shook my hand vigorously and asked, “Are we having fun yet?” This struck me as odd; I hardly knew him and “we” weren’t doing anything. I was just looking to borrow a hand tool of some sort from the shop, I think. Most folks don’t start conversations that way, but he had such a genuine smile and happy disposition that, somehow, I didn’t think it odd coming from him.

Over time, I’ve heard stories about Bill from a number of sources, and they almost always include a description of him saying that famous line, “Are we having fun yet?” Bill seemed to be a guy who others were drawn to because he was fun to be around. And if that’s where the story ended, I guess it would be a great epitaph for anyone to have on his or her tombstone, “He was fun to be around.” But Bill stories rarely end there. Bill, it seems, never missed a chance to talk about the thing that made him so happy, about the person who had changed his life. When you met Bill, if you hung around with him for any period of time, he was going to tell you about Jesus. He wasn’t going to wait years to build a relationship or wait for the “perfect” opportunity. He was going to share Jesus with you within a short time. That’s how he shared joy with people; he shared Jesus.

I have heard stories of him giving out toy bears. I’ve heard of him doing some downright juvenile stunts on his bike, I’ve even heard people tell about how he just sat with them, listening for long periods of time while they got through a “rough spot” in their lives. In each story I’ve heard about him, the teller mentioned how Bill talked to them about Jesus. He didn’t pound them over the head about how they were bad and needed to get right with God. They talked about how Bill just said that Jesus loved them, then and there, as they were, and how much they meant to Him. He left a mark on their heart, because he took time to share his greatest treasure with them, he shared Jesus, openly, plainly, and non-judgmentally. He left them feeling joyful, and uplifted.

Bill died a couple of years ago. A young man driving a van hit him. He wasn’t looking at the road and probably never saw Bill coming when he crossed the centerline on a county road near Bill’s home. When I went out for Bill’s memorial service, I was taken aback, and I dare say that I felt a bit of envy by the scene. There were dozens and dozens of people there, on that county road, on a blistering day, to honor a man who had touched their life in a positive way. There were CMA members; Bill had been their Chaplain. There were members of 3 or 4 other bike clubs; Bill had been their friend. There were office girls and salesmen from the local Harley shop; Bill had made them all smile on more than one occasion. There were members of local law enforcement; Bill had been there to pray with, and over, them on occasion. There were family members, as you might expect. One after another people stepped up to say kind words about this man who had touched their lives. For over an hour they spoke, and no one left. Their words wove a story, a legacy if you will, about Bill’s life. Two threads that kept showing up in this fabric of Bill’s legacy were the way he had made them laugh and smile ("Are we having fun Yet?"), and how he had shared with them about Jesus.

I see Biker Bill shirts and stickers from time to time, and each time, I find myself a little feeling a little jealous. I want to have that kind of effect in the lives of others. I want to be bold in my love of Jesus and my love for others. I have a long way to go, and a lot of lessons to learn, if I want to be that effective in sharing Christ.

Step one, be humble, obedient, and filled with joy…. Yeah, that’s the hard one.