Am I Really Pro Life?

I consider myself "Pro Life." In 2016 vernacular, that means I do not believe in abortion.

I suspect a number of people are conflicted on what, exactly, this means. We are well into the presidential election cycle and every four years we listen to politicians dance around their positions on abortion. Those who consider themselves hard-core conservatives oppose abortion in any circumstance. Some candidates, perhaps seeking to earn that politically advantageous label "moderate" also oppose abortion, but with exceptions for rape, incest and/or danger to the life of the mother.

Although the issue of abortion is critical in and of itself, the question I have been asking myself lately is, "Am I really pro-life?"

As a person who accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord in 2001, it is my honor - and my challenge - to live a more Christ-like life each day. So how do I do that?

The only source we have to draw from, with regard to how Jesus lived, is the Bible. Yet there are those who would have us believe unless we have a doctorate in biblical studies or are at least facile with ancient Greek and Hebrew, we have no chance of understanding what the Bible really means.

In the wise and gentle words of the late (fictional) Colonel Sherman T. Potter:

As I pointed out in our small group this past Sunday, there are atheists who know a lot more about the Bible than I do. They have undertaken an in-depth study of the book, pouring through ancient copies of manuscripts, reading them in the languages they were first written, dissecting various treatises, and so on. They presuppose that by completing a logical and organized academic study of the book, they will be able to fully grasp the meaning of the Bible and thus be equipped to successfully debate anyone, anywhere, on any biblical topic.

Just like that recipe your grandmother used to make. You know the one. Every, single time you make it, there is something missing. You've got the recipe and you follow it exactly. Yet the dish never tastes like you remember when Grandma made it.

Why? Because there was something else she put in to it. She didn't happen to write it down. She just put whatever that extra ingredient was in when she made it.

Biblically speaking, that missing ingredient is the Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter said to them (those gathered in Jerusalem), "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." [Acts 2:38-39]

Although I have digressed, the purpose (and point) is, if we have repented of our sins and placed our faith and trust in Jesus, God has promised to provide us an advocate - the Holy Spirit - to guide us from that point onward.

Now, having established that each of us, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, can rightly determine the truth and meaning of the Bible, what does it say about being "Pro-life?"

Exodus 20:13 is probably the best place to start. "You shall not murder." [NASB]

That seems pretty clear. Unless you are a lawyer, judge, politician or human, apparently. The modern definition of murder is something like: the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law. In the U.S., special statutory definitions include murder committed with malice aforethought, characterized by deliberation or premeditation or occurring during the commission of another serious crime, as robbery or arson (first-degree murder) and murder by intent but without deliberation or premeditation (second-degree murder).

I tend to gravitate toward a more simple definition: to kill or slaughter inhumanly or barbarously.

This, I believe, is the definition around which the abortion debate swirls.

But what if being Pro-life was more than just defining your position in the abortion debate? What if it encompassed your beliefs on capital punishment, self-defense, DUI manslaughter, and all the other ways that we as a species have learned to dispose of each other?

Biblical nitpickers might poke an index finger toward the sky and say, "Ah ha! But the Hebrew word (transliteration) 'ratsach' means 'to murder' so, as long as we are not murdering people, we are not killing them in the biblical sense and breaking that commandment."

Ratsach can mean 'murder' but it can also mean 'to slay' or simply 'manslayer'. If I perform an abortion on a fetus with a heartbeat, shoot a burglar who has broken into my home, run over someone when I'm driving under the influence, kill someone by lethal injection or any other scenario you can think of, I have slayed them.

I cannot imagine God thinking, "I'm going to give humanity this vague commandment and just sit back and wait for them to argue about what it means."

Thou shalt not kill/murder/slay.

I don't see any ambiguity there.

"But I'm protecting my family! I'm being a good steward of my home by defending it from the burglar when I shoot him."

Fair comment. I used to own a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. It had one purpose. I am thankful I never had to make the decision whether or not to use it to fulfill its purpose. I don't have the weapon anymore.

However, if we cannot agree on the meaning of the sixth commandment, let's look at something a bit more recent.

Jesus' Sermon on the Mount provided some pretty plain behavioral rules. Specific to our discussion, the instructions Jesus gave in Matthew 5:38-48 are pretty clear. Not much wiggle room there, when you consider the examples He provided.

During His ministry, lawyers, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees...seemingly most everyone...sought to trip Jesus up in some way. The Hebrews had a good few thousand years to build on those original ten instructions God provided them. By the time of Jesus, their construct rivaled that of The Matrix.

Those guys are everywhere!

If you want to put a modern spin on it, Jesus was like Neo and all those lawyers, scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees were like the innumerable Agent Smiths trying to capture Him.

One day, as Matthew 22:34-40 recounts, a lawyer asked Jesus the sixty-four thousand drachma question, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"

Unsurprisingly, Jesus gave the correct answer. However, the last part of His answer is where the rubber meets the road in the context of Pro-life. "The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Would you clamp down on your own tender head with a pair of cold, metal forceps and pull yourself out of the womb? Would you shoot yourself as you jimmied the lock on your own front door? Would you push the button to fill your own veins with a lethal cocktail of capital punishment drugs?

I would hazard a guess that most of us would not. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Am I really pro-life?

I've got some work to do, Jesus. Help me.

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Haiti Mission 2014 - Day 7

In the last Haiti blog (Haiti Mission 2014 - Day 6), I wrote of our visit to the Delmas children's prison in Port au Prince. And how we followed up that soul-wrenching experience with a walk through Minoterie and a visit with Berry-Jeanne...

Good morning, Berry-Jeanne

After our Monday evening devotion, I spent time in prayer and contemplation. The intimacy of our relationships was deepening with each passing day and I fully expected the next day - Tuesday - to be no different. 

Christy and friends in Minoterie

Keith, Ashley and friends at Berdy's house

I suspect most people don't like to visit hospitals. We go because our loved ones are there. Or maybe to accompany a friend as they visit someone. I really don't like going to hospitals so, on the whole, I was anticipating a very mixed reaction to our impending journey on Tuesday morning. I was thinking that we would walk into a ward, spend a few moments here and there with people who were struggling to regain their health, and then head back to Minoterie.

Before anything, we had a long drive ahead of us. Our route to the hospital took us through the heart of Port au Prince. We had to drop Bildad off downtown for a meeting with one of his relatives.

It's always market day in PaP

Marché de la Croix des Bossales

As we drove through the western side of Port au Prince, we passed one of the most amazing sights of our journey: the sprawling commercial complex that is the Marché de la Croix des Bossales. The Cross of Bossales Market covers roughly seventy thousand square meters. That is a little over three-quarters of a million square feet! It is a huge complex into which - if Internet articles are to be believed - over $2 million has been infused since 2010 in an effort to improve conditions and provide basic sanitation services.

Based on what I was told, the Marché de la Croix des Bossales sits in the same location as the original Haitian slave market. Today, it is the largest marketplace in Haiti, where all manner of goods and services can be obtained. Except slaves, that is. Thank the Lord.

Probably would not opt to stay here

Ben 10 has arrived in Haiti

One of the amazing things about Haiti - and indeed, about any country outside the United States - is how American culture finds its way around the world. Personally, I'm not so sure a lot of that is a great idea, but I was stumped as to the identity of the young man on the billboard above. I just thought it was a bit of an oddity, so I took the shot. Only after I returned did I discover that Ben 10 is a popular Cartoon Network hero-character.

Go figure.

I doubt it...

Just down the street from Ben 10 was the Eternal Father lotto store. I'm not going to claim to have the inside track on what God is up to these days, but I think it's a safe bet (pardon the pun) that He is not running a lotto network in Port au Prince. If you spend any time at all in Haiti, one thing you'll notice is that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit - the Trinity - feature prominently on everything from tap-taps to roadside supply depots.

...our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace

It took us about two and one-half hours to wend our way through Port au Prince and complete our journey to the hospital, which lies west of the capital. As the traffic thinned to almost nothing, Bluebird slowed, then stopped, signaling our arrival at - what the sign announced as - the Sanatorium. 

After receiving the requisite permissions, Jean Justin backed Bluebird through the gate and reversed down a long, tree-covered access road. Apparently you just don't drive a bus forward into any driveway in Haiti. On our right as we backed in we saw a school complex, followed by the hospital quad.

A number of pre-fab buildings made up the hospital quad

These two men appeared to be serious friends

On the left-hand side of us, there were about twenty to twenty-five men and women sitting on chairs or standing by, waiting for our arrival. Once parked, our team leader gave us a quick briefing; we were actually visiting what Americans would refer to as a Hospice. To put it bluntly, we were advised that most, if not all, of the patients who were there had conditions that would - sooner or later - be terminal.

The folks who had come out to welcome us were those still healthy enough to get about alright. All of the other patients were in the prefab buildings we noticed when we drove in. Just as it can be a little awkward when you go to visit a friend in the hospital, it was no different here. To start off, we just spoke with them, introducing ourselves and letting them know where we were from. We also sang for them, which they seemed to enjoy (which means they didn't hear me singing).

After the singing, we wanted to offer whatever encouragement we might, so I was asked to read a short Bible passage and lead a prayer for them.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
 - Philippians 1:3-6 (ESV)

I chose the passage above because, to me, it speaks of the hope we all have in Jesus - He who began a good work in each of us. And here, as these good people faced the stark reality of their completion, we prayed that each of them would be received by Jesus on that day.

After praying, one of the Haitian women from Minoterie who traveled with us (I believe her name was Gerdy, but I am not completely sure on the spelling) stepped forward and talked to the patients gathered under the trees. Although she spoke in Creole, one of our translators softly filled us in on what she was saying.

As she spoke, Gerdy shared how she had become very ill some years before and how, when taken to the hospital, she had stopped breathing. Gerdy looked at each of the patients as she told them how the doctors were able to revive her thanks to the healing power of the Holy Spirit.

This really touched me because we spend so much time talking about our beliefs. But Gerdy shared the simple power of her faith in God. It surely didn't matter to these people whether she was a Baptist or Methodist or Catholic or whatever; all they heard - and saw in Gerdy's eyes - was an example of the healing power of God Almighty.

That's not to say that we were telling the patients that God would heal each of them. On the contrary; we all know how mysterious God's ways seem to us. Sometimes it doesn't make any sense at all.

In the book of Job, Zophar the Naamathite responds to Job's suffering with rebukes concerning the obvious state of Job's righteousness. However ultimately wrong Zophar's motivation and wisdom were, one thing he was correct about was the limitless measure of God's wisdom and power...

Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

 - Job 11:7-9 (ESV)

After Gerdy's testimony, we handed out small containers of sanitizer, shampoo and soap, along with toothbrushes and toothpaste for each patient. These seemed like small gifts that we could give, but we heard how many of the patients did not have even such simple things as this, and they let us know how much they appreciated them.

We also handed out hand-made greeting cards that the children in both Huntsville and White House had made before our trip. Each card had a picture of the child along with some encouraging words handwritten in Creole.

Children's greetings

Kelma sharing with one of the patients

Before we left for the ride back to Minoterie, we walked around the quad. We were asked not to go into the patient rooms but we could stand outside and talk with patients, as well as pray for them as we visited each small building.

A peaceful garden...

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.

 - Jesus (John 14:1-4 [ESV])

Our drive back to Minoterie was shorter than the outbound journey by an hour or so. This time, we did not pass through town, but along the outskirts of Port au Prince. We parked in front of Berdy's home and made sandwiches for lunch. Our midday meal was quiet; for my part, thinking about the all-too-fleeting moments we had shared with the hospital patients that morning.

After a short break, we moved the bus to a different spot in the village and several off us walked to a place nearby where we picked up trees that members of the team had purchased. We gathered back at the bus with our trees, then walked through Minoterie planting them in a yard here, a garden plot there. 

We chose places for the trees where there was some fence or other natural barrier, otherwise the goats will eat them before they can grow sufficiently to protect themselves. In all, we planted five mango, three lemon and two native shade trees. In each case the families who received the trees were very happy, eager to have us pray over each new addition, asking God's blessing on the fruit it would come to bear, as well as on their home.

Dye mon, gen mon; beyond the mountains, more mountains...

We returned late to the hotel, arriving after eight in the evening. We barely had time to wash up and grab dinner. After everyone had eaten, we met together for our final evening devotional. Tonight was the team's last night in Haiti and needless to say there were some emotional moments. Two things happened which surprised us all:

First, Nathanael, Berdy, Bildad, Israele and Frantzdy presented all of us with certificates of appreciation for the work that we had done this week on behalf of Prosperity of God ministries. Obviously, we did not (and do not) expect any recognition for the things we do on mission. However, we were humbled and honored to receive the thanks of these men who are on the Board of PoG yet worked and sweated right alongside us all week. If anyone should be given recognition, it is these hard working young men who live to support the community of Minoterie. They strive to educate themselves and the children, providing them an opportunity to become the future of Haiti.

True men of Haiti

Second, and eternally most important, Jean Justin, the man who had driven us all week joined us. This man is probably the best bus driver I have ever seen. He was able to carry us safely along the adventuresome roads of Haiti and maneuver big ol' Bluebird in and out of places I would hesitate to drive my little Saturn. After we gave Jean Justin a huge hand and many thanks for his awesome service throughout the week, he told us - through a translator - that he had something to say.

He spoke of sitting on the bus and quietly observing our activities. He spoke of how his heart was full of respect - and surprise - as he watched us with the children of Minoterie, the children in the prison, and the sick whom we had visited earlier that day. Although he knew the name of Jesus, he told us that this week was the first week he believed that he had seen Jesus at work - through us. We were all a little stunned. Finally, he told us that because of his experiences this week, he had felt the Holy Spirit move within his heart, and Jean Justin accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. 

God without borders...

Talk about amazing! We gathered around him and gave God thanks for Jean Justin's decision. We hugged, we laughed, we cried, and we prayed. We also urged the men from PoG to take up the responsibility - and the challenge - to teach Jean Justin and to guide him in the ways of the Lord.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

 - Matthew 28:19

After all the incredible emotions of the day, we adjourned and headed to our rooms. Each of us had to pack and prepare so that we could leave early in the morning and spend our last hours in Minoterie. 

Sleep claimed us gently, with thoughts of angels rejoicing in heaven...

Luke 15:10

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I like big "buts", and I cannot lie...

No, I'm not talking about the 1992 Sir Mix-a-Lot song, "Baby Got Back". Frankly, that's a little out there for me. I'm more in tune with a more recent riff on that rhyme...



But since I'm a (musical) child of the 80's and 90's, I still have all these tunes stuck in my head; more and more they come to mind as I am reading the Bible. I know, that sounds a little weird, but I can't help thinking about a key line in an old song and wondering how it can be re-imagined as a way to promote Jesus. Kind of like the video above.

This past Saturday I had a veritable avalanche of musical imaginings. First, I heard the old ZZ Top song, "I Thank You". The key lyric is:

You didn't have to love me like you did
But you did, but you did
And I thank you

Anyone who is a Christ-follower can't help but see the connection between those lyrics and what God has done for humanity through Jesus.

Later, I was finishing up my devotional; the Apostle Paul was recounting in 2 Corinthians 12:9 how Jesus spoke these words to him: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

And Paul goes on to say, when talking to the Corinthians of boasting, "But I would rather boast about my weakness, so the power of Christ will dwell in me."

For some strange reason that old Sir Mix-a-Lot song popped into my head and I kind of turned Paul's words around and asked, "How big are your "buts" today?"

I've heard people say, "Yes, it's so important to have the love of Christ in you - BUT - don't be a doormat," or, "I'm a Christian - BUT - if that person does that to me one more time...," or, "I try to love my neighbor as myself - BUT - that guy is just unloveable."

We all have big "buts". We all have lines that we don't want others to cross. We're ready to follow Christ - BUT - ... and that's when others look at us and say, "See? That's why I don't go to church or believe in that stuff."

Maybe the world would see Jesus differently if our "buts" weren't so big.

Many in the world today keep asking for proof; proof that God exists. Proof that Jesus is who He says He is. Maybe, if our "buts" weren't so big, they would have their proof?

What do you think.

X

Is self-esteem our greatest sin?

This is going to be a painful discourse. The first thing for which I will be excoriated is suggesting that self-esteem is sin - a term that atheists and even some religious folk will discount immediately as irrelevant and perhaps even offensive. Before we commence, let's try to agree on the definition of self-esteem.

Looking at definitions of self-esteem in several dictionaries, I sense a pattern:

Dictionary.com:
1. a realistic respect for or favorable impression of oneself; self-respect.
2. an inordinately or exaggeratedly favorable impression of oneself.

World English Dictionary:
1. respect for or a favourable opinion of oneself
2. an unduly high opinion of oneself; vanity

Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
1. a confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect
2. self-conceit

The first definition in all these references has to do with, what I believe, is most people's idea of self-esteem. In their Psych Basics section, Psychology Today defines (and I use that term loosely here) self-esteem as:

Possessing little self-regard can lead people to become depressed, to fall short of their potential, or to tolerate abusive situations and relationships. Too much self-love, on the other hand, results in an off-putting sense of entitlement and an inability to learn from failures. (It can also be a sign of clinical narcissism.) Perhaps no other self-help topic has spawned so much advice and so many (often conflicting) theories.

PT then goes on to offer a list of more than 25 articles readers can view covering a variety of self-esteem basics which, they say, are our best insights on how to strike a balance between accurate self-knowledge and respect for who you are.

Reviewing the definitions above and the psychological implications, it's pretty clear that self-esteem is one of those things that needs to be finely balanced in our lives. These days though, we live in a Goldilocks world. I'm sure we can all recall the fairy tale from our childhoods when the girl finds the house in the woods and samples three items: porridge, chairs and beds. Leaving aside the obvious issue with this young lady feeling so bold as to enter a stranger's house in the middle of the forest, she is quite picky with regard to her comfort.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

I've written about Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy before so I won't go into detail again. If you want to read up on his theories you can do so here. If we overlay the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears on top of Maslow's Hierarchy, we can see that Goldilocks lives in the bottom layer of his pyramid. In the fairy tale, she is completely focused on physiological needs with, just maybe, a touch of security of body (safety) thrown in. If Goldilocks had high self-esteem, she would have handled the situation differently considering where respect of (and by) others sits in the pyramid of needs.

Back to reality, how can I float the suggestion that somehow self-esteem is connected with doing bad things? Well, since I used the term sin in my blog title, I'll come at this from a Jesus perspective. In the Gospel of Matthew 20:26-28, Jesus is quoted as saying, "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

So, does this mean that Jesus had no self-esteem?

The Gospels are full of examples where Jesus did not rise to the challenges which most of us would attack from a self-esteeming position.

Early temptations: immediately before his earthly ministry really gets rolling, Jesus is attacked in the desert and tempted by Satan who targets every attack right at the heart of self-esteem. Is Jesus hungry? If he's the Son of God, just change these stones to bread. Feeling minimized? Worship Satan and gain all the kingdoms of the earth. Are you really immortal? Cast yourself down and watch the angels catch you before you hit the ground.

Every single one of these temptations sought to encourage Jesus to respond in a selfish way. Fortunately for us, that's not what He was here for.

Time after time, Jesus was offered the chance to elevate Himself. Matthew 22 has example after example of Pharisees, lawyers and scribes trying to trip Jesus up, get him to play the big man on campus so they can arrest him for blasphemy.

Both the Chief Priest and Pontius Pilate ask Jesus if He is the Christ or King of the Jews. Jesus responds in kind to both, letting Pilate know in Matthew 27 that it is others who are giving him the lofty titles, not himself.

Finally, in one last, cruel gesture, Luke 23:39 recounts one of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”

If Jesus were living according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, history would have been very different indeed. Despite His selfless examples, humanity has still progressed to the point where we have elevated self above all else. Looking at Maslow's pyramid, there is no sin in Esteem. Confidence, achievement, respect of others - respect by others - all of these things are good. If each of us has managed to climb above the lower steps of the hierarchy, to satisfy our basic physical and psychological needs, then a little self-esteem helps us love others as we love ourselves. That sounds a lot like what Jesus told the lawyers in Matthew 22:39.

Self-actualization gone wrong...

One of the problems with Maslow's Hierarchy - in my opinion - is that the higher up we go, the less likely we will be to adopt a servant mentality. In today's world, if you are a servant, that means you're being oppressed. If my goal in life is to reach the top of the pyramid, what am I striving for? Maslow says I can find morality at the top of the hierarchy. What does that mean? Do I have no morality until I get there? If that's the case, then self-esteem could be a sin because it sits a level below morality. If I have no morality but I have self-esteem, what am I?

So what's my point?

Self-esteem is fine as long as it is balanced against the needs of society as a whole. There are a mountain of books that offer to help us overcome esteem-busting people in our lives. You know the ones. But if we put all our effort, all our being, into reaching the Holy Grail of self-esteem; if self-esteem becomes the be-all and end-all, then we lose sight of the big picture...the greater good.

Perhaps my biggest point is that if we focus too much on self, we will miss the real source of our esteem.

What do you think?

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It's time to ask yourself...

...what you believe.

Dr. Jones in mortal danger (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade [1989])

One of the fun things about the Indiana Jones film franchise is the exploration of possibilities. That fun got a little off track in The Crystal Skull [2008]. but I enjoyed the film anyway.

In The Last Crusade, Walter Donovan is on the verge of discovering the Holy Grail, with only Indy and his father standing in the way. Like any good movie villain, he resorts to some eye-popping violence to motivate another character. By shooting Indy's father, Donovan motivates the hero to take those last few steps and reveal the treasure.

It has been said that life imitates art. I'm not completely sure I buy that but I've seen some some examples which prove the axiom lately. A friend of mine posted a video this morning that I thought summed up a portion of this thoughtline in a powerful way. In The Last Crusade, Donovan pointedly says to Indy, "It's time to ask yourself what you believe."

What does that mean? It means that while Indy's father was bleeding out on the floor of the cave, the only thing that could possibly save his life was the Holy Grail - something Indy wasn't even sure he believed in. For to believe in the Holy Grail was to believe in Jesus Christ and God and Creation and everything. Indy understands all of this a few minutes later as he stands on the precipice of what seems to be an insurmountable chasm between him and the Grail.

"It's a leap of faith..."

This video is about 38 minutes long. I am not posting it here to change your life. My hope is that folks who stop by will take the time to watch it and just think about what it means. There are some PhD's in this video - very smart people - and there are some students in this video, and there are some regular folks on the street in this video. Enjoy.



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The Stairway to Heaven

I grew up in the 70's. That's the 1970's, not the 1870's, as our young X-men may believe sometimes. If you grew up in the 70's you are aware of Led Zeppelin. I state that as a matter of fact. I suppose there may be people living in the Amazon rain forest who have not heard of Led Zeppelin, but they probably don't read my blog either.

In December 2012, Led Zeppelin reached the pinnacle of western civilization with their recognition by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Each year, JFKCPA selects a group of artists to honor. Their criteria reads, in part, "The Kennedy Center Honors provide recognition to living individuals who throughout their lifetimes have made significant contributions to American culture through the performing arts."

I was pleased for the band and amused at the cultural ironies involved. Then I learned David Letterman was being honored in the same program. Letterman and Zeppelin are not even in the same talent universe, but I didn't have a vote, so...

 Photo: Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty Images

Jack Black was tapped to introduce the honorarium for Zeppelin.

The first two minutes of the video above contain Black's intro for the band, as well as the video montage that highlights a few of the reasons for their inclusion. In a statement that will have as many strident defenders as detractors, he names Led Zeppelin the best Rock and Roll Band on the planet - better than the Beatles, better than the Stones...

The encore of the evening is led by Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart singing Stairway to Heaven...

There has been a tremendous amount of discussion over the years regarding the meaning of the song, whether it contained satanic messages if played backwards, and whether Robert Plant would ever sing it again (which he did in 2007). What I see in the video above is perspective. Playing any song over and over again, night after night, no matter how good it is, must get old. The magic that Plant and Page caught in a bottle at Bron-Yr-Aur and Headley Grange back in 1970 had diminished over the decades. But on this night it was clear that distance had made the heart grow fonder. That is as much a testament to the greatness of the song as it is to the sterling performance by the Wilson sisters, Jason Bonham (son of the late Zeppelin drummer John), and the supporting orchestra.

Stairway to Heaven means a million things to a million people. Something else I noticed when viewing the performances of Zeppelin's songs: the audience. In particular, there is one lady who appears to be 'praising' during Stairway to Heaven, her hands raised, eyes closed. Others in the assemblage are also lost in the music.

Even more powerful to me were the reactions of the band. We can only wonder at the thoughts passing through the minds of Jimmy, Robert and John as they sat in their tuxedos, beside the President and other luminaries, listening to their anthem...what memories were playing out behind teary eyes? How many shows? How many faces in the crowd? How much pain and loss remembered as the familiar chords echoed across the auditorium?

If you watch the entire program you will hear Jack Black reiterate his challenge - his statement of fact - from the introduction: Best band...ever.

But for all their greatness, for all their amazing music, for all the wonder I have felt when listening to their songs...I know in my heart that Led Zeppelin do not stand at the foot of that stairway. John Bonham's death was tragic. Robert Plant's son's death was tragic. But Jesus' death on the cross was the most tragic event in human history, while at the same time the most powerful and uplifting. Because Jesus truly is our Stairway to Heaven.

This is not a popular sentiment. People get offended when you tell them there is only one way to get to Heaven. Just like the meaning of the song Stairway to Heaven, people want to define their own wisdom, their own understanding, their own path, their own truth. The disciple Thomas was a skeptic. In John 14:6 Jesus tells him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."

Yet later, in John 20:29, Thomas finally accepts the truth of things while being chastised just a touch when Jesus says, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

Paul writes that when we accept Christ as our Savior, when we put our feet on the true Stairway to Heaven, we are to put off the old man and put on the new.

One of the things that seems to puzzle critics of the Church is how it can be filled with people who still sin. In 2001 I accepted Christ as my Savior. I had a real and personal experience that left me, like Thomas, with no doubt that Jesus is who He says He is. In the intervening years I have worked to be the man that God created me to be but I am still very much a work in progress. How can I be a Christian yet still listen to Led Zeppelin and wonder at the amazing talent and true giftedness of these four mortal men? As long as I don't put them ahead of God, I think I'm going to be okay there. The very first Commandment God gave us was that we were to have no other gods before Him. I've heard Zeppelin called the gods of rock. Look at the Kennedy Center audience again. There are some worshipping folks in that crowd.

But Led Zeppelin won't get you to Heaven, no matter how many times you play the song. The three surviving members of the band won't get you to Heaven, no matter how many honors they receive - no matter how much praise you give them. People talk about how great Heaven is going to be. They discuss who all will be there, wonder if they will get to see their favorite old dog again, and if their friends and family will greet them as they walk through those pearly gates. Over the years I've heard people talk about the music that will be made in Heaven by all the artists that have gone on before us. And perhaps they're right. Maybe Heaven will be a big party.

Who knows what the Stairway to Heaven will be...

All I know about Heaven is what's in the Bible. Near the end, John writes, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

The Bible also says that we will worship Him and any rewards we might get for things accomplished on Earth in His name will be cast at God's feet. I've heard folks say, "How boring if that's what Heaven is all about...just standing around and worshipping God for eternity."

From my perspective, trading in death, mourning, crying, and pain for an eternity in God's presence sounds pretty good to me. But hey; I'm still human. Maybe Led Zeppelin will be there. Who knows? But I'm not too worried about them playing for me. If they are there, they will be too busy playing for One who is much more worthy.

And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.

What do you think?

X

Spill your guts

Jimmy Connors was ranked as one of the top five tennis players in the world beginning just before my birthday in 1973. He would remain in the top five for a still-record 659 consecutive weeks. That's over twelve years.

Let that sink in.

Wimbledon Champions - 1974

The closest a modern player has come to equaling that mark? Roger Federer, in the top five for 543 consecutive weeks. Connors won 109 (or 110, depending on your source) singles titles. Any modern players close to that? Federer, again, with 77. Perhaps even more astounding, Connors was runner-up another 54 times. He won 8 Grand Slams and spread his titles around quite a bit - winning on clay, grass, hard court and indoor carpet surfaces.

Gallons of ink have been spilled in support of - and attacking - Jimmy Connors. Writers who make me look like Judas Iscariot compared to Jesus have extolled the virtues of the champion while decrying the personality of the L'Enfant terrible.

In 1971, I remember watching my first Wimbledon. I lived in England and the BBC covered The Championships live. After watching players like Stan Smith, John Newcombe and Rod Laver, I'd go outside with an old wooden racket and hit against an uneven rock wall in our garden, trying to emulate the graceful and powerful strokes I'd seen on television. Up until that point, the Aussies - Ken Rosewall, Laver, Newcombe, and Roy Emerson - had dominated the men's tennis circuit. But that was about to change.

1972 Wimbledon Runner-up - Stan Smith

What in the world has made me go down this rabbit hole? I just finished watching the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary This is What They Want. The film touches on Connor's career in general but focuses almost exclusively on his run to the U.S. Open semi-finals in 1991...at the age of 39.

Can you imagine a 39 year-old playing Federer or Nadal or Djokovic? The days of Connors, McEnroe and Borg dominating tennis were gone, weren't they. But ranked somewhere north of 150 in the world, Connors had battled injury and age to make one final run in our championships. I won't bore you with my wooden attempts to capture those two weeks in 1991...do yourself a favor and watch the film. If you've ever played tennis or even watched it, this documentary directed by Brian Koppelman and David Levien is worth every minute.

Willpower, guts, craft and guile on the way to the semifinals

“New Yorkers love it when you spill your guts out there. You spill your guts out at Wimbledon, and they make you stop and clean it up.” [Jimmy Connors]

As the credits rolled on ESPN I began thinking about the career of Jimmy Connors. What did he achieve? Who was he? In one of the closing scenes, Connors seems bemused that people considered him an ***hole. He thought about it for a minute, and as he walks off he says, "But I'm a happy ***hole."

Connors lived life, in a sense, as an outsider. He fought and scraped for everything. He won - and lost - on his own terms, by his own strength, through his own will and wisdom. While I admire the man for his sheer tenacity and for the accomplishments that seem destined to stand the test of time - in a world where every record falls - I can't help but wonder how much all that achievement will matter in the end.

In one of His harsher messages, Jesus told of a man who focused on his own achievements and his own accomplishments. Luke 12:16-31 paints a dire picture for those who might spend their lives piling up achievements and awards, striving for the next brass ring, building an even bigger house...

Jimmy, I admire your drive, sir. Imagine how many you could win for the Kingdom with your tenacious dedication.

Unlike the picture some might paint, Christianity isn't us vs. them. Connor's career was fought in just that way; it was always Jimmy vs. everyone else. Perhaps the most poignant moment in This is What They Want, is when Aaron Krickstein says that, after being friends with Connors, staying at his home, acting as a hitting partner, etc. he never heard from Jimmy again after Connors beat him in the fourth round of the 1991 U.S. Open.

2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Jimmy, life isn't about getting to a place where you can be a happy ***hole. It's about helping each other win the only trophy that counts.

What do you think?

X

Head or heart?

I have an addictive personality. Just ask Mrs. X. If I like something, no matter what it is, I can really go off the deep end. I'm a grown man, but I entered adulthood in the years when computers and video games were just taking off. I love playing video games. My tastes have changed over the years but I could still play Ms. Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Mario Kart, FIFA 20xx, Zork...you name it, for hours. Literally. Arcade game? Pinball machine? PC? Console? Bring it.

Castle X from the ocean-side...

If not for my addictive personality, how else can you explain that - at my age - I put the time and effort required into building a castle in Minecrack that is three stories tall, surrounded by water, has a rooftop made completely of glass, has a boat dock, and can be seen for miles because of the Netherrack burning eternally atop its battlements? Do you have any idea how long it took me to dig, mine and build that sucker? I won't even discuss the cavernous, multi-level, underground complex I'm currently building that will eventually be connected - over a significant distance - by powered rail to the catacombs of Castle X (see above). Like I said, an addictive personality.

This is an addiction of the head. I would opine that the head is where most addictions reside. The Bible has (roughly) 95 verses that speak of wine or alcohol in one way or another. Many Christian denominations teach that believers should abstain from alcohol completely, others do not. Clearly, overuse of wine or strong drink is discouraged in the Bible. My guiding principle in this regard comes from Romans 14:21 -

It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother [and by extension, sister] stumbles.

I've pretty much put aside the drinking thing. As I suspect most folks who have addictive personalities will tell you, if someone likes the taste of alcohol or the effect it brings or the impression of good times it engenders, look out.

I believe there is one overriding principle the Bible teaches that covers just about everything, whether it is mentioned specifically by name or not: If something takes your heart away from God - in effect replaces God with something of this Earth - then that, my friend, is bad.

With all your heart?

Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37, among other verses, tell us that we are to love God with all our hearts. Every time I read those verses I am convicted because I know there are compartments in my heart (and mind, and spirit...) that I have not let God into. I would hazard a guess that even the most devout believers might have a few sections in the picture above that are absent of God. But maybe not, maybe that's just me justifying my own weakness.

I know in my head that I need to allow God into every aspect of my life, but the mirror of my heart doesn't always reflect that. As Ferris Bueller said during his day off, "Life moves pretty fast..."

There are two parts to this heart discussion. There is part one: the belief part and part two: the life part. In order for us to love God with all of our hearts, we need first to believe in His redeeming plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. That is not a head decision but one of the heart. The Apostle Paul illustrates this perfectly in Romans 10:9. Based on the Bible a person cannot arbitrarily decide they are a Christian - a follower of Christ - they have to have a change of heart.

I'm not trying to back anyone into a doctrinal corner, far from it. I've read some Christian blogs recently that discuss the openness - or lack thereof - of today's churches. Our churches should be open and welcoming to all. A few verses on, in Romans 10:14, Paul hits on another truth, "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?"

If we expect our churches to be places where people can come and hear the truth of the Bible and places where, once having heard, can confess with their mouths and believe in their hearts, hadn't we better make sure that our church doors are wide open?

Not very welcoming...

If someone has decided in their head to give Christianity a try, they aren't Christians. Even if they are attending church regularly, serving the community, etc. there has not been a change of heart. I can make a head decision not to drink alcohol, but if I'm going to dedicate my life to Jesus and call myself a Christian, that has to come from my heart.

Once I've made that heart decision, I've got a whole bunch of other life decisions to make. And in my short time as a Christian, I've learned that it takes both the head and the heart to make those.

What do you think?

X

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls...

I do some pretty childish things from time to time. But I'm an adult, so it's mostly seen as cute or goofy when I do them.

Grow up!

The most recent example from the public square that I can think of would be the Miley Cyrus performance at the MTV VMA awards. I'm not going to dog pile Ms. Cyrus or drag that whole thing up again. But to me it's a great example of how different people view adulthood. I would wager that most adults over forty (the ones that are even aware of it) viewed that performance as childish - if not obscene. And a good number of people under forty would see it as her prerogative - after all, at twenty years of age, Ms. Cyrus is an adult, right?

The Oxford English dictionary variously defines adult as:

Noun: A person who is fully grown or developed; (Law) A person who has reached the age of majority.

Adjective: Emotionally and mentally mature.

Men and women  - adults - are what we call males and females when boys and girls grow up. Our society has developed a number of widely accepted milestones which can herald our passage into adulthood:

• Ability to legally view adult or mature television and film content
• Ability to legally drink alcohol
• Ability to vote
• Ability to legally play "M" rated video games
• Engaging in sexual activity
• Becoming a member of the armed services
• Ability to get a driver's license (to a lesser degree)

Perhaps my first exposure to this dynamic was when I lived in the UK and our family went to see the newest James Bond film, Diamonds are Forever. (Spoiler Alert!) I was in seventh or eighth grade and when we got to the cinema, my dad found out I was too young to be allowed in, even with my parents. So what did that teach me? On the ride home in the cab - by myself - I thought, "There must be some cool stuff in that movie if they don't want kids watching it."

I remember when Mrs. X and I were raising our boys. There were times when alcoholic beverages were in the vicinity. When one of them - or another child - would ask if they could have some, our response was typically, "No, this is an adult drink."

We always tried to play it cool and not make a big deal about it. We didn't want to create an air of mystique about alcohol. Yet were we, even unwittingly, setting an expectation for that child - be it ours or someone else's - that drinking alcohol when they were adults was cool, something to look forward to? Think about the crush of advertising that exists today. From clothing, to alcoholic beverages, to sexual activity; our kids are bombarded with messages that say, "Grown-ups do this stuff, and it's cool."

At younger and younger ages we're seeing kids have and engage in things that used to be the purview of much older people. We continue to establish and throw open gateways that lure boys and girls faster and faster toward adulthood. Ever-increasing "graduations", nearly-mandatory limo rides for prom, even Middle School versions; getting their driver's permit and/or license at the bare minimum age. We're treating our kids more and more like little grown-ups every day.

I taught a preteen Bible school this past summer. More than 50% of the kids had cell phones. And not just the basic text/talk phones; we're talking iPhones and Androids. Fourth through sixth graders. With smart phones. Heck, I didn't have a bike until fifth grade. We're putting our kids on an ever-faster roller coaster to adulthood.

Is the smart phone a window to an x-rated world?

Parents are the biggest, best and last bastion against a world full of people who have reached the age of majority but are sorely lacking in emotional and mental maturity. Despite our best efforts, have we shortchanged our future society? Do we let our kids watch television shows or movies and play video games, but not equip them with a level of maturity and critical thinking that will allow them to understand the difference between a make-believe world and a real one? By setting these artificial bars to adult achievement so low, have we convinced a younger and younger set of boys and girls that merely by checking these boxes (drinking, watching R or even X-rated films, engaging in sexual activism, etc.) they can achieve adulthood early?

Do you want your kids walking a mile for a Camel?

In reasoning with the early church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul said, "When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things."

A couple of other interesting passages read:

Old Testament (1 Samuel 2:26): Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the LORD and with men.

New Testament (Luke 2:52): And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Nine hundred years apart, the sentiment was pretty much the same; both the prophet Samuel and Jesus had very similar statements made about them. Their growth in stature as men - as young adults - was not due to them smoking, drinking, romancing and doing all of the things that the world holds up as earmarks of adulthood. Today, we see young men and women raised in stature for exceeding the world's expectations, but God has been left out.

I know, it can't be as simple as that, can it? Just because God is left out doesn't mean a child can't grow up to be a decent adult, does it?

What do you think?

X

Jesus Christ, Superstar

In 1971, long before I came to know Jesus Christ personally, a stage play was performed in London. Sadly, I can't go back and see that performance. I can only imagine how powerful it must've been. And although there have been revivals of the stage version of Jesus Christ Superstar, I find the 1973 film more in tune with my remembrance of the original soundtrack - sitting in front of Mom's Magnavox console, listening to that original London cast singing...over and over again.

The play - and the film - open with Overture, a rather haunting introduction that underscores the time period in which they were both made. In the 1973 film we see the cast arriving on location - I believe - at the ruins of Avdat, an ancient city in the Negev. They disembark and begin unloading the bus, with the cross of the crucifixion carried on top and featured prominently. Judas, played superbly by Carl Anderson, walks away by himself, then turns to watch the appearance of Jesus - as if by magic - from the middle of the rest of the actors.

Judas opens the vocal performances with Too Much Heaven on Their Minds, an interesting plea to Jesus which infers that Judas was concerned that what started out as a good thing - walking around performing a few miracles and teaching some good life principles - was starting to spin out of control. People were beginning to refer to Jesus as the promised Messiah and that was dangerous under the Roman occupation. Jesus' followers needed to get their heads out of the clouds, away from Heaven and back to Earth, where real things were happening that were much more important.

Apparently they didn't take Judas' warnings to heart because in the next scenes, scored with What's the Buzz and Strange Things Mystifying, the disciples pepper Jesus with questions about the future while Mary works to provide some calmness for her Lord. This scene also includes a reference to Mary's use of a very expensive container of oil (or perfumed oil) for which Judas chastises Jesus, saying that it would've been better to sell it and give the money to the poor. The biblical accounts - in Matthew, Mark and John - note that far from being a waste, the oil was being used to prepare Jesus for burial.

There are a great number of inaccuracies from a biblical perspective in the film, so I wouldn't use the film as a basis for a theological treatise. However, Ted Neeley's portrayal of Jesus has a quality that one can't help but think is accurate to some degree as he mourns the lack of understanding - even among his own disciples - regarding Jesus' true purpose.

Still, with all the misleading, misinterpreted and flat out incorrect biblical information, Jesus Christ Superstar has a power about it that I think stems more from the actual life, death, and resurrection of Jesus than any man-made attempts to dramatize it. Our society is one that craves visual stimulus and the stark, spare costumes, scenery and props used in the film somehow fade into insignificance behind the powerful story being told.

Jesus Christ Superstar focuses on the events leading up to the trial and crucifixion of Jesus; told against a backdrop painted with the conflicted relationship between Judas and Jesus, as well as questions surrounding not only the background of Mary Magdalene, but the nature of her relationship with the Messiah. Most disappointingly, I found the portrayal of the Apostles - especially Simon the Zealot - to be overdone. All of this is subjective of course, since none of us were there and can't really know what happened in between the lines - the facts - that we read about in the Bible. Certainly I would've been confused by Jesus. Even today we find it difficult to conceive that He came to save us. Back in 1st century Israel, chafing against Roman occupation, there would've been a variety of opinions about who He was and what He was there for.

One of the things I think Jesus Christ Superstar portrays well is the sadness of Jesus. There are several references to Jesus crying in Scripture. He weeps for Jerusalem in Luke 19:41 - right in the middle of what we call the Triumphal Entry. Similarly, just before one His most powerful miracles - raising His friend Lazarus from the dead, John 11:35 states simply, "Jesus wept." I imagine that the biblical Jesus, fully God and fully man, with foreknowledge of His fate, couldn't help but be sad about a great many things. His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane clearly indicates an internal pain regarding His own Earthly fate. However, I believe that the lion's share of Jesus' sadness came because of the Jew's reaction to Him as well as what He knew was to come...even today.

The moneychanger scene in the Temple also comes in chapter 19 of the Gospel of Luke. This is another scene I like to believe the film portrayed somewhat accurately. There are shots of Judas staring incredulously as Jesus turns over the tables and generally makes a wreck of the Temple courtyard, all the while rebuking the merchants - as well as the nearby Pharisees - that God's Temple should be a house of prayer, not a den of thieves.

Although the trial and crucifixion are dramatically much tamer than portrayed in Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ, there is still a power and poignancy to the scenes that tell the story. And as the cast shuffles off down the hill after Jesus' death, with Mr. Neeley still on the cross, the director leaves us to wonder about a few things.

We never see Neeley board the bus and in the closing scene, the single cross is spread against a blood-red sunset, with no body hanging limply from its members.

There are no real historical arguments against the life and death of Jesus. All of the argument centers around what came next. Did He rise? Is He in Heaven today, fulfilling the promise He made to the Apostles in John 14.

What do you think?

X

Can you really sell your soul?

It's been a plot device in film and television for decades - and in literature for a lot longer than that - but I would hazard a guess that not many people believe you can actually sell your soul to the devil. However, based on the fallout from the 2013 MTV VMA, Miley Cyrus has succeeded.

I'm fairly certain that Goethe was not the first to fictionalize a mortal's pact with Satan, but his Faust is the archetype from whence we derive the term Faustian bargain. The literary Faust was a scholar, successful yet still dissatisfied. His deal with the Devil exchanged his mortal soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Goethe's character has been the basis for many of the literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical works that have ridden his creative coattails over the years. A Faustian bargain implies a situation wherein the person making the eternally damning covenant surrenders their moral integrity in return for some worldly gain - fame, fortune, power, or all of the above - albeit limited by their human lifespan.

Fortune and glory...until it's time to pay up...

So what did Ms. Cyrus hope to gain from her escapade? A BBC article today highlighted complaints by the Parent's Television Council, brought against MTV for several areas of the broadcast. Ironically, the article also revealed that Ms. Cyrus' father, Billy Ray, is on the PTC advisory board. Now before everyone starts dog-piling me for censorship, I'm just saying that if I had a 14-year-old daughter, these are not the role models I would want her emulating. MTV is free to raunch out as much as they like - just make sure the program's rating reflects the content you plan on broadcasting, please.

But back to the gain...the Beeb highlighted that, in addition to Ms. Cyrus herself boasting that her Tweet-per-minute count was greater than the Super Bowl, she would be reaping an expected 10-20% boost in record sales as a result of her performance. In fact, they noted, Ms. Cyrus' new album (do they still call them albums?) was already climbing the charts...and it hasn't even been released yet!

And lest we heap all the Faustian rubble on Ms. Cyrus alone, she had a partner in crime: Robin Thicke. And I really can't say anything else about that; I have no idea who Robin Thicke is other than, apparently, he is a singer and fancies himself a modern day Betelgeuse...perhaps Mr. Thicke's wardrobe was an unwitting Faustian reference in itself?

The most recent real-life reference I can find regarding someone making a deal with the devil is a legend that comes out of Haiti. The truth of the matter is, we don't really know what happened in Bois Caïman during a reputed vodou ceremony presided over by Boukman Dutty and Cecile Fatiman on August 14, 1791. Did the Haitians make a deal with the devil to get the French out of Haiti or were they just really motivated with effective leadership? Either way, the Haitian rebels were able to defeat tens of thousands of troops sent to quell the rebellion.

The best example - and advice - I would propose for Ms. Cyrus is to take notes in Matthew chapter four. The ego-driven fallen angel himself can be found attempting to entice Jesus with some pretty righteous pre-Faustian deals. In verses 4, 7, and 10 Jesus puts the Scriptural smack-down on the enemy, who promptly leaves to cancel the after-party.

My overwhelming feeling here is one of sadness. Yes we live in a free country and, as so many are prone to trumpet, "We can do whatever we want!"

But at what cost?

I'm thinking Billy Ray is keeping a light on and waiting for his daughter to come home. Hopefully the devil will let her out of the deal before it's too late.

What do you think?

X