Reflections on Baseball and the Way we Share the Score

We came home last evening after spending four days with our three grandsons (ages 9, 7 & 5), while our son, Peter, and his wife attended a conference in Florida.  The boys are in the middle of little league season and they pretty much live baseball.  In the between games and practices, they play baseball in the backyard on a diamond they have set up.  They also follow their favorite teams, and players.  They have MLB-TV so they can pretty much watch any game.  They also each have at least one fantasy team that they manage.  The first one up each morning turns on the TV to the MLB Network to get the recap from the previous evening so they can update their brothers when they wake up.  They take great pride in having the information first.

I couldn't help but think of how different it is to my childhood experience.  Few games were on TV and we had to rely on the morning paper to update us on the scores from around the league.  Late at night during the summer I would lie in bed and listen to the late games on the radio.  My dad had rigged up an antenna on a pole outside that allowed me to pick-up stations from around the Midwest.  I could listen to the Reds, Pirates, Cardinals,  Cubs and White Sox.  There were no west coast teams in those days, so everything pretty much was done by 11:00 PM. 

I still am in awe when it comes to the way we get our information today.  By the time I open the paper in the morning the scores from the previous evening are old news.  On any particular evening I have a choice of multiple games to watch.  It's not uncommon to be following my favorite team, The Detroit Tigers, on my i-phone, while watching the Texas Rangers on TV. 

Many of the same things apply when it comes to how we access God's word.  I still prefer my leather-bound Thompson's Chain Reference NIV Bible when it comes to devotions and Bible study, but I also have an app on my i-phone that allows me to read any chapter in the Bible from multiple translations and paraphrases.  The same app has commentaries and a Bible dictionary.  Amazing technology!

With all these changes, one thing remains constant.  God's story remains the same and there is never a doubt when it comes to what the final outcome of the contest is going to be.  The way God's story is told through our lives changes constantly though.   When it comes to sharing that story with others,  it is still best conveyed in a one-on-one personal way.  Verbal communication is still the best way to pass the torch.

A Shift in Public Opinion on Marijuana: The Millennial Effect

I was born in 1946.  That makes me a baby boomer.  Boomers were born between 1946 and the mid-60's.  Dad's came home from World War II ready to settle down and start families.  The average married couple had four children.  My generation impacted our society in a way no other generation had.  To begin with, we comprised the largest population group in American history.  We flooded the educational system: As an example. the community colleges were initially created to serve us.   Now a new generation, that outnumbers even the baby boomers, is impacting our culture.  In shear numbers the millennials, those born between 1984 and 2002, will dwarf my generation, and we are just beginning to feel their effect.

I was reminded of that again last week when I read a new report by the Barna Group.  According to their research done earlier this year, for the first time a majority of Americans favor the legalization of marijuana.  The margin is small, 51% in favor and 45% opposed, but the shift has begun.  I can say that because of the significant 11% swing in public opinion in the last two years.  You might ask: How can that be?  More and more millennials are becoming part of the adult population and according to the Barna folks, 65% of millennials favor the legalization of pot.  Warning: Before you start throwing stones you need to know that 50% of baby boomers also support the legalization of marijuana.  Another indication is the fact that 24 states have already taken steps to decriminalize the drug. 

I am not here to take a stand on the issue, although I do have an opinion.  I can see the issue from both sides.  As long as pot is illegal those desiring to use it will have to deal with the criminal element to get it.  That means supporting the Mexican Drug Cartel and well, you get the picture.  Marijuana is a gateway drug and the folks to peddle it will be glad to sell you something stronger.  To legalize it takes away that risk, but I also know the marijuana is a drug.  It promotes a lifestyle that I struggle to see as God-pleasing.  It also comes with health risks.  Let the debate go on.

I do know that we can never allow the court of public opinion influence who we are a God's people.  It's up to each of us to dig into God's Word and determine how it applies to our walk of discipleship.  To be honest, I don't believe God is going to condemn someone one to hell for smoking a joint, in the same way he is going to have mercy on those who commit other vices.  So, what should we be doing:

Be open to the opinions of others. Learn to listen and to love them for who they are,  I think that's what Jesus would want us to do.

Don't be so quick to judge.  Remember, we are all sinners in God's eyes.

Our actions will always speak the loudest.  Teens and young adults are watching to see how we run our lives.  At all times we need to be an example of hope, unconditional love and discipleship.

Americans Seek Wisdom, Not Salvation, in the Bible

Americans still value the Bible, just not in the same way they have in the past.  That is one conclusion I reached when reviewing a recent study done by The Barna Group.  According the research, 88% of American own a Bible, and 80% of us view the Bible as being sacred.  77% of Americans feel our country needs the Bible, with 32% reporting our nations problems could be solved if more people read the scriptures.  The media and corporate greed are viewed as the other reasons our country is in moral decline.

Millennials, more than older adults, turn to the Bible for wisdom when it comes to life issues.  Help with parenting was the top reason, with 42% of millennials listing in as a reason for turning to the Bible.  Dealing with family conflicts was the next most popular reason with 40%.  One third of millennials (33%) saw the Bible as a source of wisdom when it came to death or illness.  For those over thirty: 22% sought insights on parenting, 24% on dealing with family conflict and 17% on death and illness issues. Among the conclusions: millennials seemed to be intrigued by the role of the Bible in providing guidance and wisdom.  "It is a surprising expression of openness to Christianity amidst a  generational cohort that is increasingly post-religious," notes the report.

While I have always found the scriptures helpful when dealing with life issues, I find it more as a source of hope and comfort. I would never think of using the Bible as a parenting manual or a guide on how to run a successful business.  Only in the Bible can I find the incredible story of God's relationship with His people.  More than that, only in the Gospels can I read of Jesus' suffering, death and Resurrection.  Through the Epistles I am challenged in my walk of discipleship and service.  In the Book of Revelation I find comfort in reading that the battle is won and I can gain a glimpse of the glory that awaits me in heaven. 

Those of us who find our hope in the Good News of salvation found in Jesus Christ need to continue to share that message.  The most effective way is not with words, but rather through our actions.  The way we handle the issues of our everyday life should bear testimony to who we are as people of God.  Our reactions in time of crisis, even when facing death, should attest to the hope we have in Jesus.  We are always Easter people.