Benediction

Tales of the Human Spirit

I'm a sucker for a good story about the "Human Spirit." I just read a story about two Americans who competed in the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing. Marin Morrison and Nick Scandone were featured this week in Sports Illustrated. Marin was a swimmer with brain cancer; Scandone a sailor with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Marin came in last in the 100 meter freestyle, but was cheered like a conquering hero. Scandone won the gold. They never met, except on the pages of a sports magazine. They died on the same day, three months after competing in the games.

When I read stories of courage, perseverance and grace, I am moved. It moves me when a stadium full of Chinese strangers cheers wildly for a young girl they don't know, who struggles to stay afloat, much less win a race. I am in awe of a man who defies his atrophied muscles and wills his 90-pound body to victory in boat race. 

And I wonder how God fits into these stories? It seems God has built something into us that is inspired by the underdog, the overcomer, the loser who wins. Is that because it is Jesus' story? Jesus, the child whose life began outside a cheap hotel in a poor exurb of Jerusalem? Jesus, the kid who confounded rabbis though he had little formal education? Jesus, the one who turned the other cheek, and so practiced what he preached? Jesus, who died on a cross, but rose from the grave?

And I wonder if our spirits are moved by these stories of the "human spirit" because the stories are really shadows of the stories of the Holy Spirit. I wonder if this kind of grace and courage and determination is a breakthrough of the life that God intended us to live from the beginning, where we cheer one another on through impossible odds, where we believe in one another, where we hold up the hands of one another while the battle unfolds.

And I wonder how God responds when he hears these stories?

Public Confession

At the risk of voyeurism, I've been thinking about Tiger Woods. I have no public opinion about his alleged affairs or his private life. Even my private opinion is fairly pointless: I possess no personal knowledge of this famous golfer. I am not his judge nor his friend.

But I've learned some things by watching the events of the last couple of weeks. After Tiger crashed his car into a tree and a fire hydrant, he pleaded with the world for privacy. Why should his private sins require a public confession and apology? Why couldn't he simply deal with it within his family, he wanted to know? I don't blame him for this desire. Who wouldn't feel this way?

Here's how it seems to me: If Tiger Woods were simply a golfer, if he had earned his income solely through playing golf, I think he could reasonably deserve privacy. But once he became an endorser of products--of golf balls, razor blades, sports drinks and automobiles--his reasonable expectation of privacy disappeared. Why? Because when someone endorses a product, he's not telling others, "I think you'd like Gatorade." He is telling us, "I think you'd enjoy my life. If you drive this car, you'll be like me. If you drive this golf ball, you might play like me. If you use the products I use, perhaps you'll have my life." And poof goes the right to privacy. To people who want to be like you, you have given them an invitation. You endorsed their right to know you. And now they want to know if your life is real. No one wants to buy a mirage. They are buying your life and lifestyle. And if you turn out to be different from what the commercials have suggested, people feel betrayed. After all, they've been buying your products in order to be like you. (Example: Remember when Gatorade sold sports drink with the jingle, "I want to be like Mike," as in Michael Jordan?)

OK, none of this matters to me in relation to Tiger Woods. I admire his golf game, but I don't aspire to be like him. Otherwise I would practice golf a lot more often.

But it matters to me a lot when it comes to my life as an endorser of Jesus. That's essentially what a Christian is, an endorser of Jesus, his lifestyle and his offer of eternal life. Every Christ-follower is saying to the world, "I want you to follow Jesus. I want you to embrace his life." And because we endorse Jesus, the world starts watching to see if we will live up to what we've been promoting, endorsing. And if (or when) we fall short of the commercials, they feel it is their right to judge us. 

Which is probably why public confession matters Christians. None of us is perfect. None of us perfectly lives like Jesus. In fact, Jesus died for us because we were not perfect. And he offered us forgiveness, not perfection. 

Perhaps the reason James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to one another is that public confession is good for the soul and good for our endorsement of Christ. It reminds us that we are not offering our neighbors a Pharisaical better-than-others life. We are offering them forgiveness. And when they see us confess our sins, our failures and shortcomings, they learn the sweetness, not of perfection, but of forgiveness. When we turn to Jesus, that is the gift we are endorsing.

North Carolina

OK, I'll say it humbly, but on March 18 I wrote that North Carolina would win the NCAA basketball tournament. I never saw a game, but I heard the final score: 89-72, UNC over Michigan State, one of my other picks for the Final Four. Good tournament. Good guess.

Baseball Openings

Last week I invited you to let me know if your son or daughter is playing baseball or softball. Several of you did. But I still have a few openings left in my schedule to come to a game.

So, if you have not already, send me your child's game schedule. I'm very excited about hanging at the ballpark with you and your kids. I'll get to your game if I can, but I'll put the games into my schedule in the order I receive them. So send it in.

bradfranklin@lakesidechurch.com

I Missed Spring Training

One of my favorite vacations is a trip to Arizona or Florida in March to watch Spring Training Baseball games. There is nothing so relaxing as sitting in the sun watching a ballgame, especially when you know it is cold and rainy still back home.

Alas, this year I was not able to make it to Spring Training. For that I'll have to wait for next year. But that doesn't mean I can't see a baseball game or two this Spring.

Here's the deal: Many of you Lakesiders have kids playing baseball or softball. If you would send me your child's game schedule, maybe I could come and watch one of his or her games! The benefit for me is watching a little baseball action. But it also gives me a chance to see you and your family at the ballpark. Possibly I could meet your neighbors or friends on the team. Maybe it would build some bridges between Lakeside and our community. That would be really cool.

So, send me an email with the schedule. Please include your cell phone number so I can contact you if I'm able to come. Make sure your player's name is in the email too, so I know who I'm coming to watch. And be sure the location of the game is clear.

Now, I can't promise to get to everybody's game. But if you'll send me a schedule, I will try to come.

You can send the email to bradfranklin@lakesidechurch.com

Play ball!

Final Four

OK, I'm not a basketball prophet. But here are my projections for the Final Four:
Michigan State, Memphis, Pittsburgh and North Carolina.
And UNC takes it all.

And I won't be watching on TV. Next year for Lent I'm giving up mowing my lawn.