When Bees Sting and Tires Hiss
I was minding my business, mowing the grass as quickly as possible, when a bee thwacked me on the Achilles tendon. It didn’t even give me a warning by saying “buzz”! I yelped, let out a yell, and darted across the yard, only to see a whole gang of yellow jackets swarming around my abandoned mower. Within a few minutes I had a swollen ankle, a half-mowed yard, and my thoughts were jumbled on how to finish mowing before we should hit the road for an 1800-mile road trip. According to my plan, mowing was the last thing to do before setting off for the great American road trip!
I was mowing in shorts and old sneakers. Standard mowing attire for a 40-something dad I suppose. Apparently, I was vulnerable to bee attacks since they had a nice hiding hole in the middle of the yard, and I had nothing to stop them from take a whack at my legs and arms. But the thought never crossed my mind to wear jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and boots, because…it’s August! Which did I want? A bee sting or heat stroke? Sometimes it pays to be vulnerable rather than suffer the consequences of perceived safety. Bees can still sting through clothes after all.
Days later I toed the line at a very long, very challenging mountain bike race in the Rockies. My bee-stung leg was almost down to normal size. I was ready for a long day in the saddle and looking forward to the long climbs and screaming fast downhills that awaited my arrival. I had done my homework on how to train, what gear to use, and how to pace myself at altitude. Now all that I had to do was execute and experience the thrill of adventure and hopeful success!
In the starting corral there was a lot of chatter about bikes and gear. It’s one thing to drag our bodies up and over mountain passes but there is always the gear selection that has everyone looking around and asking opinions. There’s wisdom in choosing things by experience but not everyone has experience; so, they ask for opinions! There’s a lot of talk about bike setups and consequently people choose things that will leave them with the least amount of risk based on what the masses choose. Being vulnerable to flats or a mechanical is what everyone tries to avoid so there ends up being a lot of analysis paralysis as well. Not everyone experiences the same things in a race so what works for some doesn’t work for all. If racers were mowing my grass, they would be torn between shorts and sneakers or a full beekeeper suit just in case there happened to be bees in the grass!
I chose my bike setup based on a few personal things. For starters, it’s the bike I currently owned, it works fine, and a fancy new bike is not in the budget at this time! Before the race, I cleaned it up, tuned it up, and grabbed a new set of tires. I chose the tires because I used them in the past, they looked super-cool, and they tested well for rolling resistance. I wanted a tire to go fast on the not so rocky parts of the course because that’s what I really enjoy; it was important to me to roll fast! Notice I didn’t pick a tire based on its robust reputation of being flat proof. Flat proof tires are notoriously slooooow. Whether I realized it or not, I was choosing to be a little bit vulnerable because I wanted to ride the race to the best of my ability, not ride the race in an abundance of caution and perceived security of thick tires.
The race was 105 miles long and I endured mega-climbs and observed spectacular, scenic views. There was sunshine and some cold, mountain rain. I felt great as I passed the last aid station and started to let it rip the last 15 miles towards the finish line. I was passing people left and right and when I glanced at my bike computer, I was sure that I would have a much, much, faster time than the previous year. I had endured the course and my bike was working great, I just pointed it where it needed to go and kept pedaling! On a personal level I desperately thought I needed a big breakthrough of something going “right” for a change.
And then I heard the distinct sound of a tire losing air. Much like a bee stinging my leg while mowing I had a sharp rock take a chunk of my tire and leave it airless. But in this case, I didn’t run away and say “ouch”; I let out a huge sigh and tried to wrangle my bike to a stop from 30 miles per hour without crashing into a tree.
Vulnerability strikes again. I mowed in shorts and got stung by a bee. I chose a tire and managed to find the one rock in 100 miles that proved to be just enough to puncture a tire.
At the side of the road I fumbled with my few choices to repair my tire. It was cold, it was raining, and while I had my back to the trail I could hear countless riders pass me. I was doubting my life choices there but remained calm and kept my cool. Staying calm and fixing a flat like I’ve done hundreds of times before would prove to be the best recipe to keep going. Dwelling on the heat of the moment or the size of the moment in a race I wanted to do well in was not going to make things go any faster. My response to my vulnerable moment had to be consistent with my beliefs; there will be a way out of this predicament and God will show me how!
In a world that chooses perceived safety and “sure things” being vulnerable isn’t our first choice. And when our vulnerability is showcased it’s often seen as a weakness. But some of us have to be the ones that lead, inspire, and encourage. In the race of life, and leading others to run their race with Jesus, we have to accept that vulnerability and our consistent response to that vulnerability is the fuel for a faith-walk. We aren’t always going to be void of bee stings and flat tires. Or from disease or car crashes. Or heartache and headaches! Letdowns are real and happen despite our best avoidance and there is a hungry audience watching our response and authenticity to the situation. Experiencing God through perceived letdowns and letting Him change your mind, your heart, and your circumstances is powerful stuff.
I went through two tries to get my tire inflated and back in action, but neither worked. So I calmly took the tire off the rim, put a tube in, and inflated it enough to get me back rolling. I gathered up my belongings and went the last 5 miles without incident but also without much joy because…well, I had a flat tire and I lost time and placings. I wanted the race to go to my plan.
But on the walk back to the truck to head home I realized the real story behind my vulnerable moment. It was 50 degrees and raining. I didn’t have warm clothes and I was 5 miles from the finish. And somehow, someway, God gave me the thoughts to process the situation and working fingers to fix a flat. I didn’t have to walk the last 5 miles, which would have added over an hour to my time. And when I did actually finish I was still just a wee bit faster than last year. Looking at the whole picture it was a miracle I was at the race in the first place, a miracle I could fix a flat, and a miracle that I still had a fast finish time. It could have been so much worse and to only dwell on the flat tire would make me ungracious and whiney.
A flat tire doesn’t make the whole day a failure; it provides an opportunity to align our response to our beliefs. If we are to point others to Jesus, lead others to Jesus, or simply represent Jesus, we have to be consistent in our response to these vulnerable moments. These are the moments people are attracted to and watch, because they are real for all of us!
As it turns out we can’t have it all in our own ways. But we can have a testimony to God’s provision, protection, and purpose in our lives when we live on the vulnerable side and are ok with it…because God is God and we are not! Bees may sting and tires might flatten, but we don’t have to throw in the towel when they happen or live in a way that promotes their non-existence. Those moments are to be shared because we are all susceptible to the vulnerable life, no matter how much we try to squash it or deny it. We all go through stuff! Embrace it and line up your response to that vulnerability. Jesus is the template. Be vulnerable and be consistent, the world desperately needs to see your example!
