Just when I thought Pastor Tom was on vacation, Barry Bonds has to go and make news (to show who little I follow baseball, it was that blog where I got the news...after getting home from a soccer match...New England Revolution 2, Harrisburg City Islanders 1)
While I know little about Barry Bonds, I do know that I've heard about his faith. He talks God-talk doesn't he? Doesn't he thank God for his ability? Now Pastor Tom assures us that Bonds' problem is that he is not content in the Lord. How exactly does he know that?
I can't say that I disagree with Tom's theory, but I'm sure that I would suggest it a bit more reservedly, at least without some quote from Bonds or someone who knows him well (his pastor perhaps?) I would venture to guess that if Bonds didn't have the specter of steroids use hanging over him and he was praising God for the accomplishment that many would be holding him up as a stellar example of striving to give glory to God. In fact, if I recall correctly, Engaging Your World sang the praises of the Super Bowl coaches ascribing their success to God.
While it is nice to see people being able to name their callings in doing what they do well, it is equally dangerous to ascribe motives to people when we don't like what we see. I, for one, don't know the heart of Barry Bonds or know if he is guilty of juicing, so I will refrain from saying with certainty whether he did what he is alleged to have done because of his discontented life.
One thing I do know is that I'm looking for more significant heroes. I grew up watching Roberto Clemente play elegant baseball while being the consummate gentleman even though he knew the sting of prejudice being the first Puerto Rican to succeed in the Major Leagues. He also knew what it was to serve God, literally giving his life in a plane crash as he took relief supplies to Central America after an earthquake.
I wish we could spend more time accentuating the positive instead of speculating about the negative.
Blog you later,
Pastor Ian
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Who Knows the Heart?
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1 comments:
Actually, you raise a great point about the positive vs. negative. Some of us have turned Christianity into a faith of minuses. Robert Schuller happily coined the phrase that Jesus turned the minus of the Cross into a plus! I like that. EYW is usually about what's going wrong. Don't we already have enough of that, like the nightly news?
I find that listening to that program on a daily basis really dampens the Good News. As far your thoughts on Bonds, he certainly has become the country's favorite whipping boy right now. I think the critiques are getting a little out of control.
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