Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

The other day my good friend Rob from college called and we talked about life, family, church, Bama football, etc…  Then I told him I was thinking of buying a Scooter because gas has gone up to $3.79 a gallon.  Little did I know that he has a Honda Scooter sitting in his garage not being used.  It only has 200 miles on it and gets 120 miles to the gallon.  He has a motorcycle himself so he doesn’t use it.  He said I was welcome to use it if I went to North Alabama to pick it up.

So here is my dilemma, do I spend the gas money going to get an almost new Honda Scooter and drive it back to Charlotte?  My office is less than 4 miles from my home so I could probably go to work for a month for less than $10.  If I had to use my car, I’m close enough to drive back and get it.  Will driving a Scooter make me turn in my “man card?”  Or am I just being wise with God’s resources?  

What do you think? 

Yesterday a friend from Atlanta emailed me and asked if I had seen CNN?  A friend/boss of both of ours was in the news — not for a good reason.  After reading the story and then seeing the footage on CNN I’m heartbroken.  This man was/is a friend, mentor and example to me.  I hurt for him, his family and his church.  I watched the story with tears in my eyes.  In fact I still have them.  I don’t know what else to say.  I’m not posting the story out of respect of his family but I’m sure you’ve seen the story yourself.  

I won’t judge, I will only pray for him and his family.  They are and will be my friends.  I pray God will restore him.  Please pray for them…. 

I ran into my friend Gwen Smith @ Starbucks this morning as I often do.  My wife, Cassandra first told me about Gwen last year when she heard her sing at a local conference she went to.  Cass said, you’ve got to hear her.  Then by God’s providence I met her with my friend Mike Landrum @ Starbucks in the Northlake area of Charlotte.  Gwen has a contagious personality and I run into her quite often.  

She has just written a book that will be out this summer called Broken to Beautiful.  The 700 Club just interviewed her and Brad, her husband.  You can watch it below.  They were both Christians and were living double lives.  They were college athletes involved in a campus Bible study and having sex outside of marriage.  Then the unthinkable happened–Gwen got pregnant.  That wasn’t suppose to happen to Christians–right?  They were scared and Gwen decided to have an abortion.  This went against both of their beliefs.  They eventually got married and started a family.  They were both involved in church –then God rocked Gwens world and told her to share her story.  

It is a powerful story of God’s Grace.  I encourage you to watch and buy her book when it comes out.

Sorry I can’t embed the video.  You will have to watch it here.

Ever since the Mitchell Report came out a few months ago we have seen numerous ways of responding to the charges made in the report.  The report claims that many baseball players have used illegal performance enhancing drugs improve their playing and make their career last longer.  

Most of those named in the report acknowledged that they did use the drugs.  Some apologized. Others have kept quiet.  But Roger Clemens has gone on the attack to clear his good name.  I want to believe Roger.  I was never a Red Sox, Blue Jay or Yankee fan but I admired the way he played the game.

When Roger was named in the Mitchell Report there were many people who said he should come out swinging.  And swinging he has.  He has gone on 60 Minutes, made a You Tube video, held press conferences and testified before Congress that he did not use performance enhancing drugs.  He came across to me as believable.  But here is the problem.  His best buddy Andy Pettitte who was named in the Mitchell report and was trained by Brian McNamee.  Pettitte admitted that he used HGH.  But Roger flatly denies that he has taken drugs or any performance enhancements.  So what is it?

Then Roger files an anti-defamation suit against Brian McNamee.  Now team McNamee are pulling out all of the stops.  They are saying that Roger Clemens had a long time affair with Mindy McCready, a country music singer who has had her own illegal drug problems.  Truth is stranger than fiction.  You couldn’t write a more juicy story in Hollywood.

Here is the problem for me.  If Roger had admitted he took the performance enhancements would this have just blown over?  What if he had just kept his mouth shut?  Instead he makes a big deal and I think it is making him look worse.

What does this mean for us?  I usually can tell when my kids get defensive about something, they probably are guilty. When they calmly deny something, they usually are telling the truth, but when they get vocal, they are “usually” guilty.  It is probably the same for me.  How many times to we angrily argue with the police when we get pulled over for speeding (hypothetically, of course)?  I’ve found myself getting defensive with my wife and my kids and usually it is when I’m wrong.  I’m ashamed to admit that but it is true.

So what do we do?  I think the Bible gives us the best advice.  We should share our sins with one another.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Had Roger just said, yes I took the HGH and steroids this story would have probably passed.

Sometimes it is best to keep our mouths shut.

Proverbs 18:2

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

Proverbs 10:10

He who winks maliciously causes grief,  and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Proverbs 17:28

Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Had Roger just kept quiet the rest of the junk about his personal life would probably stayed out of the news.  This whole incident is sad because he is married and has children who are probably hurting.  

What do you think? 

Yesterday I received my Seasons Magazine from my alma mater Samford University.  It is a well produced publication that is sent to Samford Alumni.  I read it every time I get it to see what changes my friends have made and to keep up with my old school.  Samford is one of the prettiest campuses anywhere.

At the end of every publication they have a section to remember those who have passed away.  My heart sunk as I read the list.  One of those who recently passed away was one of my fraternity brothers.  He was 2 years older than me and was a tremendous athlete.  He stayed on and earned his law degree from Samford’s Cumberland Law School.   He was always kind to me and man he was taller than me.  (He played basketball at Samford for 1 year).

After reading about his passing I was struck by how fragile life can be.  None of us are promised another day.  I’ve seen death in person on more occasions that I would like to admit.  I was involved in a life changing experience a few years ago when a man committed suicide on my car.  We are not guaranteed anything in this life.  I’m now at the age where I’m going to see people I know die, not just from accidents but because of our age.  It is kind of scary.   I was heartbroken to read about Debbie Kaufman’s loss last week.  No one is promised anything in this life.  Sobering!

I can’t imagine living without the strength of Jesus Christ.  Even though I know that I could die today, I know that I will spend eternity with God in heaven.  Life is fragile but God is secure. Life is valuable and I want to see everyone have the hope that I have.

What do you think?