While this may not be something that Jesus actually said, it is something that we should understand as if it is gospel. The fact is that 95% of our riding input is visual. Where we look is where we go. This is one of the first things we learn if we actually go through motorcycle training. If we don’t learn it there we will learn it on a twisty road with trees as very unforgiving teachers. The problem is a thing called “target fixation”. This is when we focus on an obstacle instead of our escape route. How many times do we see the pothole and with fear and laser focus, ride right for it. To ride safely we must learn to look at the right place. This applies to us spiritually as well. Where we look is where we go. The road of our life brings curves and on these curves God wants us to look at where we are going and not at where we are of the obstacles that are around us.
In Matthew 14:22-33 we have the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water. Now if any of the disciples would have been a biker it would have been Peter. He was impetuous, quick to anger yet very loyal in most situations. He lived by the motto “Ready, fire, aim”. We pick up the story:
2 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning[a] Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here![b]”
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.30 But when he saw the strong[c] wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,”Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
So things were going well until Peter got a big dose of “Target Fixation”. Now we can’t fault him because at least he got out of the boat.
In the curves of our lives we are to look to the end of the curve, and not focus on where we are or the cars flying by, going the opposite way. Why, because that is where Jesus is. This curve (whatever it may be in your life) is for your training, to get you to focus on the end, not the difficulties of toady. Yes, He is there in all of it, but He wants you to focus on the end. Scripture tells us “better is the end of a thing than the beginning”. As bikers we have a tangible experience to show us this truth. We can either focus on where we are and literally jerk our bike around a curve with hundreds of course corrections, or we can look to where we are going, to the One who is guiding and training us, and suddenly you, your bike, and the road all become one, and we remember why we ride. God is grading you on a curve today, where are you looking?
Dave “Road Sage” Dildine
Dave is host of the “Roaming Road” show which can be seen on The CrossTV and is a speaker in churches and events worldwide.
