Reggie Bush and public apologies

Last week I saw an interesting interview with current Saints (at least as long as he doesn't demand the 12 million dollars owed him this year) running back Reggie Bush. The interviewer reminded Reggie of his fateful tweet after New Orleans drafted Alabama running back Mark Ingram in the first round of this year's draft: "Its been fun New Orleans."

Of course a bit later, he posted something more "diplomatic," according to Pat Yasinkas:
“Congrats to Mark Ingram on being selected to New Orleans. He will be a great addition to the Saints backfield just as he was in Alabama.’’ 

The second tweet no doubt (in my mind) came after his agent informed him of the stupidity of his first tweet. At least, that's the scenario I presume. Usually with agent motivated apologies, they reveal about as much remorse as one coming from a sociopath. 

But in this interview, you could really tell that Bush owned up to his mistake. He even berated himself for ignoring the NFL's yearly social media reminder to pause before you press "send." Its no wonder if these public or internet apologies are real or simply diplomatic. Yet is it possible that they could eventually lead to real heartfelt sorrow? Sometimes? Whether this response was motivated by an agent or fear of actually losing his job, I think it is possible even publicly "forced" apologies can result in real repentance down the road.

 

Here are a few quick takes:

1.) In a similar way, I think that corporate confession during worship, even though you're not "feeling it" at the time, can end up leading to real confession some time after the church service ends. I don't know how often it does, but I'm eager to start paying attention to how it affects me personally during the week.

2.) It is nice to see someone admit, "I was just dumb. It was my fault." Few things gain respect more than someone admitting his mistakes. Now if/when he owns up to his mistakes with the USC disaster....

Merlowe Joe Maddon's 30 minute rule

The last two nights I had both a rare privilege and frustration: watching the Tampa Bay Rays on TV. Unfortunately when the Rays are on TV, it is because they are playing either the Red Sox or Yankees. On back-to-back nights they lost by one run to both. 

One of the announcers, Rick Sutcliffe, commented on whether or not losing 1-0 to the Red Sox in 16 innings the night before would have a tangible adverse affect on the Rays playing the Yankees the next night. He believed the frustrating loss wouldn't hurt the Rays, citing manager Joe Maddon's "30 minute rule."

The 30 minute rule means that the team can/should reflect on the bitterness for the loss for only 30 minutes. After that, they cannot dwell on it anymore. It's in the past, and they have to play another game the next day (more often than not with 162 game season).

I'm not sure that there is a minimum time limit we should mourn for the bitterness of our sin. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite Spirit, and that obviously involves being bothered by our general and particular sins. However, particularly in regard to our particular sins (but the general as well), we should be reminded that we must not remain in such a mournful state for too long. Christ has already forgiven sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (I Peter 3:18).

But there has to be a maximum time limit on mourning our sins or else we will walk around like Eoyore, forgetting the victory which Jesus has secured. Repentance must lead to rejoicing (or it isn't repentance) because God's mercies, and our experience of them, are new every morning (Lam 3:22-23). A good reminder to us all, especially when we experience the consequences of our sin.

Unbroken thoughts

For a while I felt almost addicted to "Office" re-runs. I personally love the show, and have found it helpful in connecting me to both those a bit older and younger than myself. But I knew the only way to get out of the TV rut was a good book. Reading stuff for ministry isn't too hard since I dedicate some of my schedule to read and study. Reading stuff at night time becomes harder because its not necessarily part of my job. The only prescription is not more cow-bell-though who couldn't use more cow-bell, but simply a good book. Some of my previous books which have helped me out of the night time rut include Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy, No Bag for the Journey (a fellow Jesuit High alum turned Episcopal Priest chronicles his journey riding a bike across the country), and The Glass Castle. 

This time, Unbroken came to my rescue. The most exciting book I've read in a long time. 

Laura Hillenbrand can certainly spin a yarn with the best of them. Her biographical writing rivaled Metaxas' Bonhoeffer, but she did a great job of simply getting out of the way to let the story of Louie Zamperini almost tell itself. Sometimes I feel guilty recommending something already on the best seller's list, because its obviously not a gem that I've discovered. But this book kept me up late into the night for a week or so, as I clamored to get to the next page and chapter of Louie's life.

After crashing at sea, floating without food, surrounded by sharks, Louie and the pilot were intercepted by the Japanese. It only got worse, as they POW camp-hopped all over Japan. The brutal treatment they received at the hands of the Japanese really tied me into an emotional knot with anger and sadness wrapped around each other. 

I can't imagine what I would have done after being liberated from such an evil (37 % of Pacific POW's died as compared to 1% in Europe). When men in one camp became free, some no doubt thought about repaying their captors' evil with evil. But after a Thanksgiving service, "They were told that they must not seek revenge; they were officers and gentlemen, and they were to behave that way."

This was one of the most memorable lines in the book. I wonder what I would have done if someone tried to stop me from retaliation and only gave me the "you're a gentlemen, so act like one" command.  Not sure that would have worked for me. I might have said, "Etiquette class and cotillion does not a gentlemen make," and would have at the very least given each guard an atomic (though I would have probably used a different word) wedgie.

But it did "work" for these guys, at least on the surface, and for a time. Most didn't retaliate in the slightest. I guess that says a lot about the "greatest generation." Unfortunately though, the scars of the P.O.W. experience were decidedly deeper than the skin, and many like Louie remained haunted by their tormentors back in the States.

In fact, it was only through a one-time enemy's act of atoning sacrifice that would free Louie from the nightmares and anger. After he had seen (through the eyes of faith) an enemy die FOR him, he put aside his quest for revenge and returned to Japan to share the gospel instead of mete out judgment (which he actually had plans to do!).

That sacrifice of Jesus is sufficient today to curb our retaliatory dispositions to those who truly deserve retaliation. Showing "class," or trying to play the "bigger man" might stop the action, but it will not stop bitterness, anger, or nightmares.

Unbroken describes itself as a story of redemption, and it delivers. Ultimately it is only through Jesus, that any of us can experience such holistic redemption.

Chris Paul, forgiveness, and me

If you're of those who follow the NBA playoff's, you'll know that the L.A. Lakers received a very poor Mother's Day present from the Dallas Mavericks: a near 40 point "beatdown." Sometimes we need a "villain" to keep things interesting: the Lakers were that "villain" to me: someone to root against. Now, I just don't care.

While I don't offer you any suggestions on a team to pull for in the play-off's, I do offer you a player to pull for in the next NBA season, should they have one. It is very clear that very soon the NBA will head the way of the NFL and players will be locked out. So, provided there is an NBA season, or a shortened season next year, here is a lad whom you will want to root for: Chris Paul.

I knew New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul was a believer; after all, he was on the cover of the Sports Spectrum (a Christian sports magazine). In fact, he was on the cover of the most famous Sports Spectrum volume, the edition containing sports-related devotions by a host of athletes, coaches, and an associate pastor (ME). My name looks a little out of place alongside Indianapolis Colt's Center Jeff Saturday. So that edition, in the minds of many, will forever link Chris Paul and myself. Chris knows what I'm talking about. Obviously.

Check out this story about Chris Paul, how he honored his grandfather, and offered forgiveness to the teens who brutally murdered him. It will no doubt move you, surprise you, and perhaps challenge you. It did me. You may not be pulling for the Hornets next year, but you will be pulling for him. I promise.