A movie titled "Motorcycle Diaries" was released in 2004 about two friends and their long road trip from Brazil to Peru, the people they encountered and the experiences they shared. I have my own "Motorcycle Diaries" in the form of two stories.
It was a beautiful day in late February 2013 and I decided to take my motorcycle out for a spin. I was cruising along Snow Hill Road when I came around the corner near the Publix supermarket complex and saw a woman stopped in the middle of the road. Not only that, but a second car, a Volvo SUV, had stopped beside her, totally blocking my side of the road.
In a matter of a couple of seconds I had to make a decision. I couldn't go around them on the right side because of a curb and guardrail, and I didn't want to go around the left side because I couldn't see if there was oncoming traffic, and I certainly didn't want to have a "head-on" collision with a car. I thought I might even be able to squeeze between the cars, but the gap was too narrow.
So I simply hit both the front and rear brakes. I can still hear the screaming tires and the loud crash that followed as I collided into the SUV. I went through the windshield of my motorcycle; my body slammed into the SUV then bounced off the other car that had stopped. For a few brief seconds I was unconscious. When I came to, I was lying across the front wheel of my motorcycle that was now laying flat on the ground. I had some major bumps and bruises and a broken nose, but that was the extent of my injuries. My helmet was scratched, but my thick leather jacket was unharmed.
The officer who covered the accident told me several times how fortunate I was and, believe me, I totally agreed with him. My beautiful motorcycle, with its bright-red paint, a wealth of shiny chrome accessories and loud but deep-toned exhaust pipes, was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. Yes, I was blessed to walk away from that accident because just a few days later another motorcyclist was killed on Interstate 75.
So as the days get warmer and longer, you'll see many more motorcycles around because this is a great area to ride. Please watch out for them. The majority of accidents occur due to the fact that drivers of automobiles just don't see the motorcycles.
But there is a second story about motorcycles I'd like to share with you. It's about a man who loved to buy old motorcycles and refurbish them. He bought an old Harley-Davidson in a garage sale. It was an older model that had been sitting out in the elements for several years. There was rust in the fenders and on the motor. Weeds were growing up all around it and, by all appearances, it was better suited for the salvage yard. But this man paid a total of $35 for this old, used motorcycle. When he got it home and started taking it apart, he found it difficult to find certain replacement parts. He eventually called the Harley-Davidson factory in Milwaukee, Wis.
He read the part numbers to a factory representative and was put on hold. A few moments later the factory representative asked for his contact information and wondered if he could call him back in a few days. A couple of days later, the factory rep called back and asked if the owner would remove the seat from the old Harley. This seemed like a strange request, but he did.
When he came back to the phone, the rep asked if there was any writing on the underside of the motorcycle seat. There was, and the man replied "Yes, it says 'the King.'" At this point, the factory rep said he had been authorized by the leadership at Harley-Davidson to offer him $350,000 for the old Harley.
As it turned out, according to the part numbers he had given and the inscription on the underside of the seat, the old Harley had once belonged to none other than Elvis Presley, the "King" of rock and roll. The value of this old motorcycle rose extremely high due to the fact it had belonged to Presley.
In the same way, our value has increased significantly simply because we belong to the King of all Kings.
We live in a culture today that places value and worth on a person based on appearance, ability or assets. However, Jesus reminds us in Luke 16:15, "What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight."
Or take the account in 1 Samuel 16 where Samuel was sent by God to the house of Jesse to anoint a new king over Israel. Samuel looks over the oldest son and believes he's the one. But God replies to Samuel in verse 7, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
You may believe you have no worth because you're not on the cover of a fashion or sports magazine. You may feel inferior because you don't have the ability of a world-class athlete or your bank account is not as large as others. May I remind you that these are not the things the Lord uses as a measuring stick of value. You are loved and cherished simply because you are a wonderfully made, much-loved creation of God.
Gary Armes is senior minister at Hickory Valley Christian Church.