Spiritual Thoughts of a City Cyclist
For the past twenty years, my wife and I have been committed urban cyclists, with our “family car” being a small fleet of bikes. We cycle through city streets with tricky left-hand turns and up-hill climbs in traffic, sharing lanes with cars, buses, trucks, and other cyclists. I even ride during Canada’s snowy winters. While not everyone feels at ease cycling in a big city, God helps me feel safe and secure.
I’ve taken some logical steps toward safety–I wear a helmet and a safety vest that makes me stand out, especially at night. I know the laws, and I try to be visible and predictable.
But it’s prayer that makes my cycling experience overwhelmingly positive. I truly do feel safe. After twenty years, I can literally count unpleasant incidents on one hand.
It helps, I think, to abide by some spiritual “rules of the road.” Here are some examples:
God’s Road: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” 1 The road belongs to God because the whole universe exists for God’s glory. The challenge is to cede our personal views, feelings, and assessments to what God knows: His absolute sovereignty, and our perpetual safety.
The Mind of Christ: Often we might look at other cyclists or drivers and think unconsciously: “My trip is more important than theirs.” What if our priority, instead, were to help and minister to others? Try it and watch what happens. As Paul wrote: “[I]n lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” 2.
Expect Good: I don’t drive defensively in the usual sense. I’m not watching out that I don’t get hit. Instead, I look for God’s perfection expressed as courtesy, intelligence, kindness, and so on by drivers and pedestrians. It’s a different kind of vigilance, and it bears fruit every time.
Trust Love: I trust only the fact that divine Love is behind, beside and surrounding us all, governing every traveler as God’s image and likeness. If we trust fallible humans, that trust is misplaced–especially in an age of IM and cell phone distraction. And if it seems right to caution a driver or pedestrian, I do it as gently as I can. For example, on my winter bike, I have a loud, funny horn that sounds like it belongs to a circus clown.
Affirm Perfection: The reason I do something is all-important. If I cycle because I want to become healthy and fit, then the starting-point isn’t divine perfection. If I cycle out of fear for the environment, my actions affirm imperfection. So, being healthy as God’s child, I cycle. Knowing that God is governing His environment, I emit very little carbon going from A to B. Knowing that God’s safety embraces everyone, including me, I wear a helmet.
Turn the Other Cheek: Have you ever been the target of road rage? You can take it with good humor, considering objectively whether you could have done something differently. Once a bus driver started yelling incoherently at me. In that moment, I was able to know that there was only one Mind. One Mind knowing itself–because there isn’t anything else--with no anger, no sense of injustice, just appreciation and understanding. Right away I felt compassion for this fellow, and it was easy to turn the other cheek. Later, as I prayed about the incident, I could see that, though I honestly didn’t feel I had done something wrong, I could understand his anger. I resolved to be more thoughtful in such a situation in the future.
These aren’t the only spiritual rules of the road. They’re just examples. I pray about cycling a lot, and the prayer needs to be fresh every day.
So what do I appreciate most about urban cycling? That’s easy. It’s the moments when I’ve experienced the generous, loving, giving mind of Christ-and the grateful response I’ve seen from other travelers.
By Lyle Young
Posted on Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 at 1:13 pm | Follow responses with the RSS feedTopics: Fitness, Safety, Sports | Tags: courtesy, Environment, respect, urban cycling
A young woman in our community was killed last week as she was riding home from work late at night on a very narrow and dark road in oue neighborhood. Although she was properly “lighted up” with reflective clothes and a bike headlight and blinking tail light, she was struck by a driver who carried her body 120 feet on the hood of his car, and then left her to die on the roadside. He has been found and indicted, but her death has caused a real sense of loss and grief in our city. Thank you for this lovely piece about safe biking…. it has helped to heal my anger at the driver, and to understand that we all need to pray for the young bikers who flood our neighborhood daily, and feel that they “own” the roads. Obedience to both God and human laws is the key to safety in every hour of our days, and we must never be careless of either at anytime.Thanks to Jenny Luederman and the Daily lift for finding this site.
This is really great. I live in a big city and riding my bike on the streets isn’t something I’d have felt comfortable doing before. Now we’ll see!
That was great, Claude! Glad to hear of the healing! Lyle Young
I also rely on God’s presence reflected in others as I ride my bike eveywhere including at night late to work and find that I reflect His alertness in always knowing what and who is passing me but observing what I am supposed ot observe. This has kept me safe.
However one day I did not listen and did something foolish resulting in a fall on a street and at first had pain. I got up immediately and would not allow any thought to come that anything was wrong. I needed no help but for a day I was limping somewhat; but on the second morning upon getting out of bed and walking across the room, I realized that I could walk normally again with no pain. I am very greatful to God for this harmony in my life.
@ James Mackay
Because Lyle’s blog is on the Internet, we can’t assume that everyone who reads this piece is a Christian Scientist or a church member. And we welcome everyone to come here and learn about Christian Science.
You are correct in your statement….. I am not a Christian Scientist, but have been married for 54 years to a devout member of his local church and of the Mother Church, and has been class taught. I have experienced a great deal of good in my marriage to a Scientist, who has NEVER attempted to get me to join his church. We are deeply and thoughtfully tolerant of one another’s religious practices, and we have each gained a great deal in our relationship from one another’s religions. Mrs Eddy makes it very clear that we make our own choices according to the circumstances with which we are faced. I am disappointed to read that a good Christian Scientist has been less then kind in his remarks to another, as I do not find it welcoming to those who seek out this website for the spiritual guidance showered on those fortunate enough to find it. Growth in your church depends in great part to exposing the uninformed to its teachings and the benefits therein. One should not have to be either perfect or a Christian Scientist to be a pilgrim. “Pilgrim on earth, thy home is heaven… Stranger thou art the guest of God. ‘
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Oh Anne, I’m glad you posted this.
I was raised by parents who were both Christian Scientists. I was an enthusiastic believer. But then there was a time in my life that I pulled away. I still believed in Christian Science but I didn’t feel like it was working for me or rather that I wasn’t working at it very well. I didn’t feel comfortable the times I did go to church at the request of my young daughter. UNTIL I REALIZED that the church community gathered there was not made up of perfect human beings who got it all right. Everyone in the pews were like me to some extent and we were bonded together by our love for God. That’s enough for me. :) And now I’m part of that church community as a full fledged member and have been able to support others and be supported by them.
Additionally Bruce Cook states that his recovery is the result of “..a marvelous team of health care providers.” Does not Mary Baker Eddy tell us that “He who invites a physician to his sick bed invites defeat?” False sense and material implication have no place in adhering to the divine truths defined in Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures. Why weren’t prayerful works used by right minds, divinely motivated to know the truth that the “accident’ could not have taken place when we hold firm to the conviction that we are “clad in the panoply of love where human hatred cannot find us?”
Where in the Christian Science Manual – written by the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy – does it define the need for helmets and safety vests? Bruce Cook indicates that he had an “accident” – did the thought of an “accident” originate in the mind of God? He further states that he “…sustained very painful injuries” – why is the First Church of Christ Scientist allowing mortal mind and material sense to use its website to promote material implication, deviating from Christ truth?
Thanks for your comments, Sue! All the best, Lyle Young
Lyle,
what a wonderful philosophy for everyday life, not just cycling. So inspirational because it embraces all the qualities of a loving heart. with gratitude Sue
Thanks, Bruce. So glad you found the ideas helpful. Yours in Christ, Lyle Young
Lyle,
Thanks for this wonderful article. As a 61 year old, 20 plus year cyclist, I greatly appreciate your “rules of the road”. I was struck by a car three years ago and must admit that I violated many of those rules when the accident occurred. Although I sustained very painful injuries, my recovery has been complete, thanks to the grace of God and a marvelous team of health care providers. As I continue to cycle because I enjoy it so much, I need to be reminded of my obligation to use our Lord as my role model in each and every interaction. As a long time cyclist I have had the opportunity to marvel at the Lord’s work from the saddle, and can truly say that His handiwork is beyond belief. Thank you so much for this reminder. I intend to carry a copy with me whenever and wherever I ride.
What an inspiring account, Diane! Thanks for sharing it and the other ideas! Lyle Young
I really appreciate these wonderful affirmations. I cycle daily, often very long distances. I always enjoy the opportunity to know that Soul governs all of us, fills all space, and that everyone and everything I see as I cycle expresses Love. Whenever other people attempt to claim that it’s dangerous, I affirm God’s allness and my divine right to saftey. I’ve had some lovely healings while cycling, too, once involving the recovery of a friend whose bike had hit mine just as I was praying Psalm 91 while riding up a hill. I looked back at his welfare as my bike went down, and then in miracle style it floated right back up with no effort or control on my part. Another fellow witnessed it and couldn’t believe it. I know it was the Christly love in my heart for my fellow cyclist who hit me that brought us both instantly to safety.
Thanks for your comments, Russell and Gerves. Being moved by our positive vision of God’s allness is so important, and that vision is fresh every day. Lyle Young
Thanks Lyle young about Spiritual thoughts of a city cyclist, rules of the road and how you felt secure during your cycling: it’s thanks to the prayer.Your words that the prayer needs to be fresh every day is helpful to me and I D NEED To hear that. Thanks alot!
I bike a lot myself and I love that there is no carbon emitted in the process. I made a goal this summer to not drive my car unless I’m leaving town and did a pretty good job of sticking to it. I must admit, however, that my desire to cycle is not just freedom but there’s an element of fear for the environment. I’m glad that you brought that up so I can be more alert to it.
Thanks, Pam. I like the idea of God as the all-harmonious choreographer! Sincerely, Lyle Young
Thanks for the specifics you shared, which I can apply as I navigate on foot in the crosswalks and along crowded city sidewalks and subway platforms during this steamy summer in Manhattan. It makes me think of God as choreographer, moving us each along in a beautiful dance. “As the stars in order going, All harmonious, He doth move!” (hymn 263)
Many thanks, Lyle!