Parts are Parts

I went to the liquidation sale for American Ironhorse. For you non-riders, that is a now defunct American Motorcycle Company headquartered in Ft. Worth, Texas. They are selling everything from floor to ceiling including “millions of dollars” worth of parts, according to the guy who is running the show.

Indeed they do have parts. Motors, trannys, frames, wheels, tires, lights, right down to the smallest screw, everything one needs to build a motorcycle is inside that building. Plus, they have all the machinery, tools, painting equipment, and office equipment one can imagine.

But, what they don’t have is customers for their bikes. Or they mismanaged the operation. Or they just decded to quit business. Or. . .something.

I begin to think about how the Church of Jesus Christ has all the part and pieces necessary to build a mature, functioning believer. We’ve got the Book with all the plans. We’ve got the Holy Spirit who does the major work of convicting and teaching. We got the omniscient God running the operation, and we have a whole World waiting for the product, but somehow the parts remain parts and the finishing work is undone, and we are failing to accomplish our task.

I know there are some American Ironhorses out there. And everyone I have seen is beautiful, sleek, and fast. I know we have some mature folks out there, and they are beautiful, wise, and competent. But most of us are just wandering around looking at the parts. And as you well know, parts are just parts.