Reflection
We have had our grandchildren over for the weekend, James and William, twin boys aged five and full of fun. This weekend it was time to learn to cycle. Both boys had bikes for Christmass but because of the weather they had hardly been out on them. Both grandads and dad built the bikes on Christmass Eve, which was rather hilarious! However, we couldn’t get the brakes right and so I took them into a cycle repair shop and the man did a fantastic job of checking them all over so that they were good to go.
William was well up for it but his brother James, like all
stages of development, was happy to let his brother get the hang of it first and
wasn’t overly keen.
William developed this way of moving by pressing down on the
left pedal, but instead of then allowing it to cycle round and then push with
his right foot, he kept bringing his left foot up and pressing down on that one
pedal. We tried several ways to get him to follow through with the right foot,
but to no avail. It was a tad frustrating, but I recognised you
must balance things out. He was enjoying
himself, he was moving, sort of, and if I started coming on all heavy about how
he should do it he might lose the sheer fun he was having. I am sure in time it
will simply click, or at least I hope it does!
I am reminded by this about those new to the Christian faith and new to discovering the joy of reading the Bible. We need to get the balance right between allowing people to discover that joy and encouraging them to keep going and to discover yet more joys and delights as well as challenges.
With William’s
rather odd pedalling, going up an incline required a bit of a push from
grandad. Let us take note of this, and
if someone new to Faith and Scripture shares some ‘discovery’ that is just so obvious
to us who have learned a bit about the Scriptures and how they work, let’s
rejoice and share their joy. And let us encourage them that there is always
more to learn. In the cycle shop there are lots of very lovely bikes and the
thought passed through my mind of the boys in about ten years’ time. Will they
be going into a bike shop and getting a nice bike having discovered the joys of
cycling. The places it can take you and the fun and the exercise and just so
many benefits. I really hope so.
Let me end with one other image from bike riding that helps
us understand something about living as a Christian. I remember a comedian having great fun about
bike riding. (I think it was Billy Connolly) He said, your parents present you with
this bike thing on two wheels that won’t even stand up on its own. Then they
say to you, get on and ride it down the road, and if you are really good you
might even reach speeds of up to 30 miles an hour. On this thing that won’t
stand up unless it being held up, and I am supposed to get on this thing and
ride it at speed! Put that way, it does
seem so illogical and counterintuitive.
The boys have stabiliser or trainer wheels on their bikes to
help them learn the art of balance and how this thing can move and stay
upright, and that it needs to move to do that.
It can also sound a tad illogical and counterintuitive to build you life around a Jewish rabbi who lived in Palestine over 2,000 years ago. But once we have learned to trust, and building on that trust take off the trainer wheels, we can learn that we can live such a life as we read in John 10.10, a life that is abundantly full. We can learn that this Jewish Rabbi, Jesus, has deep wisdom and offers a life like no other. And, just like grandad walking alongside William and making sure he was safe and offering help when needed, so there is a ‘Helper’ who draws alongside us to share our joy and pleasures as we journey through life and helps us when needed.
Now, where’s my bike pump!
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