The Parable of the Bicycle

I needed to get out of the house and do some thinking. It was Saturday and I had to give two talks the next day in church. One in ward, and one in another. I had been informed of the speaking assignment a few weeks earlier, but due to a tight school and work schedule, not to mention an over active social calender, i had had no time to even think about what I was going say.

I always do my best thinking when I am on my bike, so i get on my bike and started to ride. As i worked the peddles around with my feet i noticed that the the chain was a bit clunky. My bike needed to be oiled. i had known this for some time, but i had not had time to oil it. Nor did I think I had time to oil it now. I need to just get out there and think.

We all have these kind of activities in our lives. Activities where we get our get some good thinking done. It is almost a form of meditation. The activity relaxes us and we feel free to think. It is in these times of introspection that we are most likely to receive revelation from our Heavenly Father as well. This is the reason that I needed to be out on my bike! I had to get these talks ready!

i had just made it to the top of my street, and my mind was finally clearing when my clanking clanking bicycle chain locked up and my bike was brought to a sudden halt. In an instant my quiet refuge from the world was gone. I had to wheel my back back to my house and oil it up. After that it was as good as new. But I had lost precious time. If I had only taken the time to take care of my bike this would never have happened. I had just taken it for granted that my bike would always be there and work for me, but my impatience had cost me this time.

This isn't just a story about a bike. Think about it. What or who in your life have you taken for granted. In our impatience and our hurry, we may be leaving some people in our lives out to rust. Don't let it stay that way. You have the oil, and you can raise them up. Don't wait until it is too late, the chain will lock up and you will have lost something.