Round Six-Two are Better Than One

What, you ask? Another mountain goat biking post? Yep, I respond. At least just this one more for now.

I want to get just a wee bit philosophical on you for a while. I took note of a very important truth as I was working my way up the mountain this morning. Two are better than one. It's as simple as this, since I don't have someone riding with me, I have to push myself as far as I am willing to go with the self inflicted pain. With another person who is in similar shape and sharing the same goal of improving their game, becoming better, we would very likely push each other on when we feel like giving into the groans of our bodies. That pushing on may not be much farther than we would have gone up the hill on our own, but it IS FARTHER.

So it is in our personal lives, as we strive to be better people, developing character, triumphing over life's struggles. When we are going it alone, we will fall or fail much sooner than if we are going through life with people with similar life goals. Simple lesson, simple reminder.

The other thing I've noticed as I've pained my way up the trail is that we have to discover the same willingness in our personal lives concerning character development or spirituality, sweating, hurting, struggling to overcome, that we do on the bike trail. Again, doing this with others is almost a guarantee toward success than doing it alone. I know this is often times easier said than done, but that's where we get encouragement, from others.

And finally, I promised to not get preachy on this blog, but I hope that this comes across as not preachy, but enlightening to ALL those who have been burned or turned off by church or religious experiences. A good friend of mine recently mentioned that they feel condemned every time they read the new testament. I couldn't find the right words at the time but now I think I have a better idea. I hate arguing religion with people, it rarely gets anywhere and it consumes large quantities of time and often leaves people offended or hurt. So, to put it simply, concerning the feeling of condemnation that some feel when reading the Bible: Take a look at the context 2000 years ago (although this still fits today with many church dwellers) when Jesus was confronting a person, for example equating a thought of hatred for someone the same as murdering them, look at it as a means to get everyone down to the same level, the same playing field. No pit was too deep, and no mountain was too high to separate EVERY person Jesus encountered. In His eyes they were all on the same level. His remarks were not of condemnation, they put everybody on the same page. No one was too good, no one was too bad. They ALL needed a Savior and the cost was the same for everyone of them. We all go through the same gate, there's no pit access for those who committed the worst of crimes and there is no hi-way for those who believed they were perfect and above it all. There IS NO condemnation, only a promise of new life.

There, that's it. I hope I didn't offend anyone, but this was a bit revelatory for me and so I wanted to share it with all of you.

Have a great day! If you are riding a mountain bike like me, have a great time riding and pushing yourself on to higher places.

James