Feeling Conficted

Went to a ball game Tuesday evening. It was a ‘mites’ game. Used to be called ‘atoms’ when I was a kid, but then it used to be all boys too. This was a good mix of both girls and boys. And wow, those kids are good ball players! It was a lot of fun. Can’t remember when the last time was that I took time to do something like that.

It was a nice, cool, sunny, summer evening. The field was in excellent shape. The breeze kept all the flies away. Really nice. There was only one small problem – I knew kids on both teams. It was kind of a challenge to cheer for the pitcher and the batter at the same time! It is the feeling of being conflicted! Of course, it’s just a game, especially when it’s just kids that are playing. So, it’s ok to cheer for both sides. In fact, it’s kind of fun and puts everything into perspective.

In ‘real life’ however, we are all conflicted and it’s not so fun. The words of Paul from Romans 7 come to mind … “… for what I want to do I do not do but what I hate I do…” . Yeah, that sounds about right.

You’ve probably heard the story about the old Indian who said that it was like two dogs were fighting inside of him, a good one and a bad one. When asked which dog usually won, his response was “the one I feed”. The story is often used as an illustration to encourage people to ‘feed’ the impulses to do good and to ‘starve’ the others. It’s kind of a cool story and I think it makes a good point. The hard part about this is the doing of it. But it is pretty clear what we need to do.

But, what about those times when it’s not a choice between right and wrong, good or bad? What about when it’s two good things? That can also leave us feeling pretty conflicted. Well, Paul talks about that too. Take a look at what he wrote to the Philippians:

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”

That is definitely one big conflict! Life here in this world, loving and serving God with His people, is good, no two ways about it. But, heaven will be ‘better by far’. So what to do? I think I’ll cheer for both sides. Make the most of life here but look forward to even better things in God’s timing. Either way, we win. That puts everything in perspective.

A Voice Of Sanity

I’m quite sure I am like the majority of people who have been watching the news over the last couple of weeks and found myself saying, “Enough already with all this Michael Jackson mania.” It really is enough to make you nauseous. I mean, awarding tickets to a funeral service! And seeing people celebrating that they had won a ticket!!! How ironic is that!

And of course, these are not people who knew Michael Jackson. They are part of what could be called the ‘entertainment cult’ of our day. Whether they realize it or not, they are a large part of the insanity that led to the performers desperate life and death in the first place. The irony is running over!

But then, in the midst of all the madness, finally a lone voice of sanity. The Bible says a little child will lead them. Unexpectedly in the middle of the memorial service this week in Los Angeles, Michael Jackson’s little 11 year old daughter spoke briefly from her heart about the father she knew and loved and now misses so much. It wasn’t about show or performance or image or pretense. It was a heartfelt tribute to the value of a relationship. It was sincere and meaningful. It was real, unlike all of the glamour and glitz that has accompanied the life and death of the performer, and so many others in that train; the stuff of Hollywood and MTV.

But, I have to wonder if consumers were listening, really? It was as if for a brief moment, the curtain was drawn back on the fantasy exposing it for what it was, and a little bit of reality was allowed to shine in. The words of a song come to mind – “Only for a moment then a moment’s gone.” It was like that verse in the Bible in John chapter one that says, “The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”

Today, it’s back to business as usual while our society continues to try and ignore the carnage as people continue to consume and be consumed by a culture that seems for the most part to have forgotten what life is even about, if it ever even really knew. I hope you know.