Spring is in the air, and all up and down our neighborhood street dads are pulling down bicycles from the rafters in the garage. Something about the smell of fresh cut grass and the the sun still being out when the "regular" day is complete makes many of us want to hop on a bike and ride to the nearest ice cream stand. Breathe deep friends! Grip the handlebars and crank the pedals! What you feel surging through your veins is the thrill of freedom and adventure!
Remember what it was like learning how to ride a bike for the first time? I doubt you do. I definitely do not with any clarity. But I do know what its like to assist my kids in learning how to do so. It can be a pretty trying process. An anxious child, an exhausted parent, and an unrealistic expectation of success will make for a very long Saturday afternoon for everyone.
Sunday at Randall Church I shared the 3 B's important to biking. However, these principles apply to much of how we live the Christ-filled life.
The Three B's
First learn to BALANCE
Second know when to BRAKE
Always dare to be BRAVE
Through the help of some friends, family, and of course a couple helpful youtube videos, I approach teaching my 4 kids how to ride a bike a little differently than many people have gone about it. I take off the training wheels, the pedals, and even the crank arms from the bike until the child feels comfortable with BALANCING the bike and rolling down a gradual grassy slope. After that, we replace the pedals and work on BRAKING and bringing the bike to a safe and controlled stop. Finally, I encourage the child to pedal down a grassy hill and out onto a sidewalk or parking lot where they will need to negotiate some obstacles. These might be cones, stones, or tree roots in the way. They will spend the rest of their lives picking the line by which they will choose to travel. This line may not always be safe, but it will always be their own. Will they learn to be BRAVE enough to follow the line they have chose for themselves?
The Christ-filled life isn't much different. Scripture tells us to remove from our lives any obstructions a that are keeping us from being able to have a life of Spiritual BALANCE. Poor friendships, poor work habits, or poor life disciplines may need to be adjusted or removed in order to move forward without distraction. Living a prioritized life with healthy margins that aligns our heart with God's heart will tell us when its time to BRAKE or pull back from some activities and practices that are headed towards a dangerous end. Picking a line in life is taking command of our own attention and focus. It is about having a clear, meaningful goal and envisioning a path to that goal. For the Christ follower, these lines are clearly laid out for us in God's Word. However, it is in obedience we build boldness and a BRAVE spirit by which we learn to live the "normal" Christian life.
How well are you living the Three B's?
Have you accepted the Word of God for what it really is?
What is hindering you from bravely living out the Gospel?
Pastor Milo
@milowilson
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