The Handlebars
Anyone remember the song ‘Handlebars’ by Flobots?
Yesterday, I found myself reflecting on an ordinary ride. Sometimes when I ride my bike down the Braes Bayou on my way to and from work, I like to sometimes ride without holding onto the handlebars in certain areas. Most of the time, I’m jamming to music, worshipping the Lord.
Yesterday, though, something peculiar happened. I was behind a biker, and he was also riding without his hands on the bars. I don’t remember exactly what the back of his t-shirt said, but it was something along the lines of "being together."
This moment got me thinking and praying. Both of us were just enjoying the freedom and the chill nature of the ride. We weren't stressing about getting somewhere at a specific time, and we weren't trying to beat a personal record. We were just enjoying the moment and being kind of goofy to be honest.
There is so much beauty in relinquishing this control that we latch onto, especially when you know someone greater has you covered. If the conditions go wrong, I could easily fall right into the Bayou. But when my hands are off those bars, I choose to just give it all to God. You don’t ride a bike hands-free if you are uncomfortable with the potential outcome. Any adrenaline junkie would tell you something similar. You don’t do things that are high-risk if you are paralyzed by fear; you do them anyway because of the joy found in the journey and the reward of the story. However, there is massive importance in whether you are alone in the journey or not.
The song "Handlebars" explores the dangerous illusion of control without God; the mindset of relying entirely on self and boasting about all the incredible feats we can achieve on our own. The lyrics serve as a caution of pride in oneself and one’s ability. But we were never meant to do everything alone. Are there skills we learn that make us think we are independent? Sure. But even then, we are never truly alone. God is always there. He gives us the very breath that fuels our minds, even when we misuse that intellect to falsely believe we don't need Him.
If you must boast, boast only in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31). Maybe instead of relishing in our way of thinking we can do things on our own and patting ourselves on the back for something we think we accomplished on our own. How about we give thanks and the glory to the One who did most of the heavy lifting.