The Second 50: Reflections on Life and News from the Other Side

Hanging Out...Then and Now

    One of the great aspects of Twitter and Facebook is that these online social sites allow us to 'hang out' with people with know or care about.  I also have an account at Twitter and one at Facebook as well. 

   It has been so great to 'hang out' or touch base with friends from the past, and share a word or two with them.  For those who of us who admittedly enjoy following a celebrity or two,  it provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with them.

    We all deal with our personal spiritual life in a personal, unique way.  Our relationship with God is of course personal and unique.  As I begin my personal Second 50 of years in this life, I think more about lifetime values and my own relationship with God.  I also think more about current events and the long-lasting values and memories we take from them.

    Though I am by far not a 'spiritual man', I am personally intrigued as I try to reconcile the biblical accounts of Jesus with the idea he was simply a great man, or a great leader. This morning, I was struck by the biblical account that Jesus "summoned" a small group out of the crowds which were following him to go with him on a mountain.

    That indeed must have felt like the most wonderful privilege.  Here was a guy who was becoming the most well known in the region.  He was known (by biblical accounts of at least four (4) different authors) for a very unique way of inspiring people to be their best for God.  For those 'summoned' (per Mark 3:13), it must have felt like the chance of a lifetime.  An undeserved special blessing.  It certainly was life-changing.

Admittedly an MMA Fan...and Ladies Too?!

I have been a fan of boxing all of my life.   I can still recall going to fight between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran to see it on closed circuit TV.  It is now rare that I miss a fight involving a top flight boxer.  I no longer watch them on HBO or Pay Per View.  Instead, I am more likely to follow the 'round-by-round' account from various blogs.  The recent fight between Manny Pacquia and Miguel Cotto being a prime example.

    Now...this MMA craze has also gotten this old man who is working on his "Second 50" years (yep, the title of my blog) a bit crazy.  I have become an MMA fan.  At first, it seemed that two men fighting in a cage where blood seemed to prevail and mayhem seemed to be the objective, was a bit barbaric.

    Yet, now, just as I did when I was a young man following boxing, I appreciate the great skill of the great fighters.  The skill of an MMA fighter however is a bit unique.  An MMA fighter must master a number of disciplines to be effective..Striking on his feet like a boxer, Kickboxing skills to do damage with his feet with head or leg kicks, karate skills, Jiu-jitsu (judo like) skills, an art form call Mu 'thai, wrestling skills for the obvious wrestling that will occur and so forth.

    Now that I have watched a dozen plus matches, and with the aid of excellent commentators who explain the 'MMA skill' of a particular move, I find myself being able to identify and appreciate the various skills as they are on display.

    I have gotten a kick out of seeing Rachel Frederick's blog, MMA Hot Stuff,  for lady followers of MMA.  I knew the testerone driven male, 25 to 35, would enjoy the sport.  But women?  It appears that 35% to 40% of this growing phenomenon are ladies.  Well, I am in the South and have grown accustomed to ladies being passionate about college football, i.e., Alabama or Auburn. For some reason, I get a bit of a kick out of seeing them passionate about MMA.  Go Rachel!

Mega-Churches & The Silent Miracle Within

    There always has been something about a church building a larger facility that has been heartwarming.  The same is true about the mega-churches of today, and the book, tv and radio ministries which are increasing in size.

    Often missed in the criticism of these organizations is the personal story of those who decide to place their membership there.  There personal story is much like the story of the inner man for you and me.  So many of us suffer from a deep inner hurt that often flows from a career setback, a failed relationship, or a character flaw that leads to an addiction that seems so difficult to overcome.

    The growth of a church into a larger facility often means an inner miracle is taking place.  Individuals do not follow a leader in today's critical world in an absent minded way.  They do so because there is a healing of the heart.  The every day miracle is the daily decision that so many make to live their lives differently according to values and principles which are faith based.

    I take heart every time I see a church building a larger facility, or a tv, radio or book ministry.  I find it encouraging that the spiritual message of faith in God and the principles of the Bible are changing lives, values and convictions in a fellow man.  It results, as it did when the multitudes began to follow Jesus in great numbers, of when man saying to another, in effect of course, 'I think you should really hear what this guy has to say.  God speaks to my own heart when I hear his message'.

    It is hard to reconcile the thoughts that Jesus was simply a great man or simply a good man. The historical accounts show that great multitudes followed him around (Mark 3:7-12) to hear Jesus teach and encourage about a relationship with God.  The actions of Jesus are not the actions of a good man.

Publicy Scrutiny: Carrie Prejean's Sextape and a Public Healing

    Like many, I have followed the events of Carrie Prejean with great interest. There was sadness when the news of her sex tape became public and she had to withdraw what she felt was a legitimate suit  against the Miss America pageant over the position she took on gay marriages.

    Carrie's public view on marriages immediately garnered support from the Christian right, including the private phone calls from Sarah Palin and Ms. Palin's daughter.  The opportunity to write a book and appear on various talk shows to promote both her book and the convictions she had been done wrong b the pageant has given her a platform.

    This public platform has of course led to scrutiny of whether her private life is consistent with her public comments on a Christian view of marriage.  The news she obtained a boob job paid for by the pageant raised a few eyebrows. The X-rated sex tape of her engaging in solo sex for her boyfriend raised additional eyebrows. Now it appears there are several sex tapes, and several nude photos.

   Jesus also set off a public storm during his day.  He was under great scrutiny then, just as those who publicly proclaim to be a Christian receive great scrutiny.  As I read about the public storm Jesus set off by healing a man on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-2), I find myself reflecting: ...was this guy Jesus simply a great man that moved people to reassess their values and motives, or was he the Son of God as he claimed?  

    Oddly enough, it was the healing of another of another individual that seemed to be so at odds with the clear rule of 'no work on the Sabbath day' that spurred the decision among that generation's religious leaders then to plot against Jesus and seek his demise.

    The 'Carrie story' and the physical healing of another 2000 years ago raise unique issues of public scrutiny of one's public and private worlds -- and the Christian values we may proclaim and attempt to live out.  

A Life Under Scrutiny...Public or Private

    There is a degree of scrutiny that all must endure in some fashion.  Those  in the public eye like President Obama, political leaders, celebrities, entertainers, and athletes certainly receive a higher degree of scrutiny.

    Yet, we all face a level of scrutiny that is tied to our adherence to some set of values.  Sometimes, in our personal lives it is our conscience that 'watches' us and breathes affirmation or guilt upon our personal conduct.  Perhaps this 'inner man' who is watching uses the personal spiritual values that we privately embrace to scrutinize, affirm or 'challenge' our personal conduct.

    The historic figure Jesus was also subjected to scrutiny. There was once a challenge as to whether Jesus would heal a man on the Sabbath.  (Mark 3:1-5).  It was remarkably taken for granted that Jesus healed individuals of physical ailments and diseases.  The challenge focused on whether Jesus would do so on the Sabbath day, and therefore violate the principle of rest for that day.

    As to the silent debate on whether Jesus was simply a great man, a unique religious leader, or indeed the Son of God, it is clear that Jesus was being scrutinized just like we scrutinize public figures today, and our 'inner man' scrutinizes us.  Personal and public scrutiny are indeed a fact of life.

Leadership and Management Values...Answering the Why

I read an article in USA Today about Jaqueline Neal, an officer for the company

Glory Foods.  The article focused on the books she was reading and which had

made an impression on her.

    I hope I have saved the article, or can find it somewhere.  One book concerned

the idea of becoming the best person you can become as the best contribution you

can make to your company.

    That is clearly a reflection on values, character, integrity -- and other intangible,

timeless principles.  This leader often purchased books which had made an impression

on her for the employees at Glory Foods.

    The question was posed to Jesus as to 'why' he had spent time with those regarded

as 'tax collectors and sinners'.  (Mark 2:15-17).  Just like the president at Glory Foods, 

Jesus shared that there were those who needed their values, character and inner integrity

adjusted.

   

A Question Asked....

    An interesting question was posed to Jesus one day.  Religious leaders of the day questioned why the followers of some leaders fasted but his followers did not do so.

    The response Jesus shared spoke to the issue of timing and the purpose behind religious observances.  He shared that the wedding guest do not fast while the groom is with them but only when the groom is away. (Mark 2:18-19).

    The response encourages a private reflection on the reason for traditions and observances and a willingness to act based on personal convictions which those around may not understand.