How High Profile Athletes and Coaches Can Avoid Problems

The Bible has some simple solutions to widely publicized problems experienced by many high profile athletes and coaches.  God’s word contains the wisdom of God and  applies to all situations in life.  If just a few passages in the Bible were believed and practiced, it would have averted a lot of heartache and ruined lives.  I do not need to list names of high profile athletes, coaches, announcers and others who have been in trouble with authorities, have destroyed or tarnished their reputations, etc.   Every sports enthusiast is all too aware of these things.  It is major sports news that there will be no inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2013 due to the drug scandals of the 1990s and early 2000s.    Recently, the cheating of Lance Armstrong, the great road racing cyclist, is every where talked about.  And the beat goes on and on.  

A little foolishness can destroy a reputation that took years to develop.  And that foolishness will stick to that person for the rest of their lives.  Ecclesiastes 10:1:  “Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.”   There are many examples of this truth in politics, in religion and in sports.   You supply the names.  Two players, whose decision to trade their wives and children during the off-season (just a little indiscretion) totally shocked the baseball world in the early 70’s.  One of the parties involved is still surprised, after more than 40 years, that his whole career is defined by this one incident.   He stated that it is just not fair!  Maybe not, but this is reality.   However, with the rapid moral decline of our country, and with homosexuality becoming more commonplace, I wonder if the matter of trading wives and family would create much of a stir today.  

“A” Rated Problems

Baseball players have a rating system.   A “five star” player is one who is outstanding in hitting for average, hitting for power, fielding,  throwing, and running.   So this is my rating system for players or coaches with problems.  Most problems can be explained very simply as AAA problems.   By this I mean, Alcohol, Adultery and Anger --- three of the leading causes of all problems.   One of the most practical books in the Bible is the book of Proverbs and, guess what, it speaks a lot about fools who mess up their lives with women, drinking and the inability to control anger.   Another major subject in Proverbs is controlling the tongue.  So maybe I should call it a four “A” problem  (Alcohol, Anger, Adultery  and Audio) just to keep it simple.   By adding “arrogance” I can call it a five “A” problem.   Maybe this could be a new 5 star rating plan for players who are headed for trouble.    By alcohol  I am including the whole range of recreational drugs that has exploded in our society.   By audio (sound) I am referring to a whole range of speech including “trash talk”, vulgarity, blaspheming others, using God’s name in vain, boasting, etc.   James writes that out of the same mouth should not come both  “blessing” and “cursing”.   Anger and arrogance seem to go hand in hand in most cases, but not all.  Along with “anger”,  just throw in violence, for violence is a by-product of anger.  Adultery usually refers to married people, but here I will just use it for all illicit sex.   While I am at it, I might as well throw in pornography, for that seems where we are today in society. 

Alcohol

Now you don’t think that alcohol is a problem in sports.   Well, it has always been a problem in sports.  Alcoholism is a problem even among some top athletes.  I get “Sports Illustrated” and cannot help but notice the number of hard alcohol advertisements (Vodka, Whiskey, Scotch, etc.) inside its covers.  I am also aware of all the beer companies that sponsor sports.  It is legal, but it presents a real problem on the sports scene.  It seems that alcohol and sports go hand in hand.  I am just saying there might be a problem here.  

The Bible addresses the problem drinking with these words of warning:   “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. . . . . . .  Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, But any fool will quarrel”  (Pro. 20:1, 3)

Pro. 23:29-35:  "Who has woe?  Who has sorrow?  Who has contentions?  Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?  Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.  Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly;  At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.  Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things.  And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.  They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it.  When shall I awake?  I will seek another drink.”

Adultery

For years it has been known that booze and women can ruin a young athlete’s career, and yet the exposure to both is found everywhere.  I am including in this the wide spread use of pornography, which is most demeaning to women and men, and is a gateway to sexual perversion.  Classified among the works of the flesh are such things as immorality,  outbursts of anger, drunkenness and carousing (see Gal. 5:20-21)  and those guilty of such things cannot inherit the kingdom of God.   Watch the halftime program of this year’s Super bowl and you will get a taste of what I am talking about.  Along with the subscription to Sports Illustrated magazine is the swim suit issue, which features barely clothed “Babes”.   It is interesting that if you subscribe to Sports Illustrated you can e-mail and option out of the “Swim suit Edition” thus recognizing that this might be a problem.  A large percentage of proverbs is devoted to the danger of “strange women”, that is, any woman who is not your wife.   This was a problem 3,000 years ago and it is a problem today. 

The Bible has clear warnings as to this behavior:  Pro. 6:32-33: “The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it.  Wounds and disgrace he will find, and his reproach will not be blotted out.  For jealousy enrages a man, and he will not spare in the day of vengeance.  He will not accept any ransom, nor will he be satisfied though you give many gifts.”

Pro. 9:13-18: "The woman of folly is boisterous, She is naive and knows nothing.  She sits at the doorway of her house, on a seat by the high places of the city, Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight: 'Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,' And to him who lacks understanding she says,  'Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.'  But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol."

Anger

Sports is supposed to be about self-control, but anger is often a part of the sports landscape.  Anger is closely associated with alcohol, arrogance and audio (speech).  Anger is often displayed in full public view involving players, managers, coaches, etc. as if it is a badge of honor and shows you really care.  This fact is so well known that I do not need to give specifics.  Again, the Bible is full of warnings about this.  Here is a sampling:

Pro. 12:16:  “A fool’s anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor.” 

Pro. 14:29: “He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.”

Pro. 15:18: “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger calms a dispute.”

Pro. 19:19: “A man of great anger will bear the penalty, for if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.”

Pro. 22:24: “Do not associate with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man”

Ecc. 7:9: “Do not be eager in your heart to be angry,  for anger resides in the bosom of fools.”

 Pro. 29:11: “A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back.”

Audio (Speech)

I am using the word “audio” to include sound or speech.  This may be a bit of a stretch, but it does fit in with staying with “A” words.   Speech gets a lot of athletes into trouble.  I played Major League Baseball for twenty years, and early on I learned that common speech in the clubhouse and on the playing field included taking God’s name in vain, vulgarity, swearing and just plain filthy talk.   Now it includes what is called “trash talk” on the playing field hoping to increase you chances for winning by provoking the opposition.   I learned very early in my education as a Christian to control my speech.  If I used such words growing up, and my parents learned of it, the seat of my pants would have lit up a bit.  Such words are offensive to God and demeaning to man who is created in God’s image. 

Here are some passages that warn about the bad use of our tongue:

Exo. 20:7: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”

Matt. 5:37: “But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes ' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.”

Col. 3:8: “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.”

Eph. 5:3-4: "But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;  and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks."

Arrogance

It is quite proper for an athlete to express confidence in his abilities, but a boastful and arrogant attitude is something else.  In our day and time we have seen too much of the latter.  Maybe this is because so many top athletes have been pampered or it is the corruption that comes with money and power.   I think that our society still honors a good but humble athlete.   Just because an athlete excels in a particular field of endeavor, that does not make him superior to others.   Anger and an unbridled tongue often are the products of arrogance.   When we think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, we are headed toward problems.  Here are a few warnings in the Bible:

Pro. 18:12:  “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but humility goes before honor.”

Pro. 29:23:  A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Why are we experiencing more problems in the field of sports?    Is it because of the corruption of money?    Is it because we have not paid much attention to the moral and spiritual development of our athletes?    Is it because many have made a “god” out of our sports heroes and super athletes?  Is it because our society as a whole is becoming more corrupt?    Is it because there has been a neglect of the development of the whole man (physical, mental, social and spiritual)?   Do we really think that the only cheaters in sports are those individuals who took steroids in the 1990’s?    Since sports is my background, I enjoy watching good competition as much as anyone, but we do not need to make “gods” out of these fallible men.   We need to develop a proper sense of values. 

I personally wish that more athletes and people connected with sports possessed a stronger background in the Bible and the way of righteousness.   Many of these problems can be solved with a Bible course 101.   But more than this, there is a general lack of Biblical knowledge on the part of society, and since our athletes come from society in general, it perhaps is not surprising that such problems have become newsworthy.  The truth is that all of us need to understand and apply the five “A’s”  of how to avoid problems.   

The fact that many athletes do experience trouble and have fallen out of favor with the public is perhaps a good sign that many Americans have not completely lost their moral compass.  We do indeed expect better from our top athletes and coaches.

                                                          Lindy McDaniel, January, 2013

The photo at the beginning of this article was taken in 1957 and includes Stan Musial (in the middle), myself (on the left) and my brother Von.  Musial died recently at age 92 and had a great reputation among fans, players, and sportswriters.  He set many records in hitting and was a gentleman.  He never argued with the umpires.   He was not guilty of the five “A’s”    The great manager, Earl Weaver of the Baltimore Orioles, died on the same day as Musial, but he was known for his tirades, salty language and getting thrown out of games by the umpires.  One umpire, who was the object of some of his angry tirades, said: “When he dies the family will have to pay the pallbearers.”   Earl spawned a number of managers just like him just as the legendary fiery manager/player Leo Durocher did the same.  As long as you win, all is forgiven in baseball.  These men had problems with most of the “A’s”.  

If you know of others who would like to receive advanced copies of Pitching For The Master attached to E-mail, please write to me at:  1095 Meadow Hill Drive, Lavon, Texas 75166.  Or contact me at my E-mail address: lindymcdaniel77@reagan.com.

Bodily Exercise Profits A Little

As a Christians, we must keep our priorities straight.   Paul wrote: “for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.  It is a trustworthy statement deserving of full acceptance  For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers” (I Timothy 4:8-10).    Many place great importance upon physical fitness and physical beauty, but these things involve only the outward and the temporal.   In contrast, godliness involves our relationship with God and things that will last forever.    The world places the importance on the body and how to fulfill the appetites of the body, while God places the importance on the spiritual.   

“Set Your Mind On Things Above”

Paul warned against “enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things” (Phil. 3:18-19).    The key here is what the mind is focused on.   Godliness refers to living for God, setting our minds on the things above, and this is profitable to us both in this world and also in the world to come.   Those who set there minds of the things of this world have a false understanding of life.   In Col. 3:1-15, we read:  “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.  Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.  For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,  and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.   Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,  and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him--  a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.  So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed were called in one body; and be thankful.”

What a great passage of substance and meaning!  It clearly defines the hope of a Christian, the sins of the flesh and the characteristics of a true follower of Jesus Christ.  

What Influences Our Lives?

You will notice that virtually all T.V. advertising is directed toward the fulfillment of fleshly and physical desires.  These may include many innocent and worthwhile things but the promises of fulfillment and happiness are way over the top.  If you buy this or that, or if you do this or that, you will find happiness and your world will change.   Prime examples are automobile or beer advertisements.  This is part of the materialistic age in which we live.  I recommend talking back to your T.V. at times, lest you become totally passive and your senses become numbed.   Better yet, just turn if off.   But the Bible clearly states that this is not where happiness is found.  It is a false premise based upon a false hope.  The apostle John stated the matter very clearly when he wrote: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.   (1 John 2:15-17).

Which has the strongest influence on our lives?   Is it modern culture with all of its contradictions and attractions, or is it the values taught by Jesus Christ?   Paul wrote:  “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:1-2).

Is life only spiritual?   No, indeed!   We live on this earth, and man does need bread for survival.  But as Jesus stated: “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD" (Matt. 4:4).   But you object by saying, “Lindy, is life only about reading the Bible and doing what it teaches?”   I answer, “Well, that is a good start, but even the Bible teaches that life consists of many things and that we must live in the real world.”    Yes, I have interest in all kinds of things.   I read “Sports Illustrated”, “National Geographic” and all sorts of publications.   In a limited way, I also watch T.V (taping the programs I want to watch is great),  surf the Internet, continually interact and mix with people, etc.   Just because I strive to see the world through the eyes of God does not mean that I am ignorant or disengaged in what is going on around me.  But as Paul wrote, I am also not ignorant to the ways of Satan: “so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.  (2 Cor. 2:11).

As Paul wrote, bodily exercise does profit a little, but in order to be a whole, balanced person, the entire personality must be developed.   Luke refers to this in the development and growth of Jesus:  “and Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52).   Jesus was the ideal man.   He grew physically, socially, intellectually and the spiritually.  For example, a woman who is blessed with beauty but has no discretion is compared to a ring of gold in a swine’s snout (see Pro. 11:22) – not a pretty picture.   For those who place no emphasis upon the spiritual aspects of life,  Jesus asked the question:  “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).

We see the bad results everywhere in society where the focus is merely on the physical and the social, and the spiritual part of man  (that which is created in the image of God) is neglected.  When God commanded mankind  to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Gen. 1:28), do you really think that He just wanted people to have babies and fill the earth with human life?   God’s obvious intent when marriage was instituted was that man would produce “godly offspring” (see Mal. 2:15-16).  It was man’s failure to do this that wrecked the ancient world.  At that time the world idolized outward beauty and physical strength.  The author of Genesis wrote:  “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Gen. 6:5-6).   It was man’s failure to do this that wrecked the Roman/Grecian world of Paul’s day so fully described in Romans 1:18-32 and clearly established the need for redemption through Jesus Christ.

There was a time in American history when education was not humanistic and secular as it is today.   There was a time when the Bible itself was the very heart of  the education of boys and girls, even in the institutions of higher learning like, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and so many others.   It first began in the home and was reinforced in the schools.  But now all of that has changed and we are daily seeing the sad results.  So what is sadly lacking today is spiritual component of so many of today’s youth.  American has never been Christian in the full meaning of that term, but, as any good historian will tell you, America’s constitution and laws were built upon the Judao/Christian philosophy or principles.  What can you expect when any teaching about Jesus Christ is outlawed in the class rooms of state schools, and instead, boys and girls are taught that they are merely a product of some evolutionary process.   It we have ascended from the lower animals, then why not act like animals?    Our worship of science, with all of its limitations, is astounding.  That we should get the results we are getting is very logical and not at all surprising.  

I will point out that there are thousands and even millions of boys and girls being educated where the “whole man” (Spiritual, Physical, Social, and Intellectual) concept is being taught.  This is happening mostly in home schools and private schools.  Here the concepts can be taught of putting God first in your lives and “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.”    Here the concepts of personal responsibility and accountability are being stressed.   It is not all about “narcissism” and “self-interest”.   In many of these schools, I am allowed to speak and mention the name of Jesus Christ.   It is ironic that during this time of the year, with the celebrations of Christmas, men and women’s hearts are turned to religion, beautiful music and the prince of peace, and yet this is only a pulse in our leap into secular and humanistic thinking.  It is like a giant disconnect between what is real and what is not real.   Even in our sports, were we are continually reading about drugs, alcohol abuse, various forms of cheating, criminal activity, abuse in the home and other horrible stories about misconduct, the talking heads continually scratch their heads wondering why or simply dismiss it as being a part of the times in which we live.   Four National Football League Players committed suicide in 2012.   A football coach sexually abused many boys and went to prison.  Few are trying to find real answers.   We could sure use a big dose of humility and godliness.

Thank you for reading to the end of this article.    – Lindy McDaniel

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Note: All of my articles can be accessed by going to lindymcdaniel.com and then click on the Pitching For The Master blog button.   If you desire to be placed on my special e-mail list for advanced attached copies of monthly articles, or if you know others who would like to be placed on the list, please let me know by contacting me at lindymcdaniel41@yahoo.com.   December, 2012

Trip To The Northeast U.S.A.

Sorry to have posted this article so late.  My wife, Nancy, and I took a trip in our little Nissan Rogue car beginning on September 7^th and arriving back home in Lavon, Texas on Oct. 28^th, 2012.  We drove almost 6,500 miles.   

Speaking in the Churches

During this time I conducted what is generally called “gospel meetings” for six different churches located in Virginia, New Jersey, Maine and Alabama.  I preached on 33 different occasions.  In addition, I spoke to many groups of  young people from K-12 in both public and private schools.   I was interviewed by the local newspapers and radio sports programs in some smaller towns and we met all kinds of interesting people.  All together, Nancy and I met hundreds of people both inside and outside the church.    Also, along the way we experienced the beauties of nature and the turning of the leaves.  We drove the mountain roads around Clintwood, Virginia, as well as saw many of the historic sites around Williamsburg.  

These gospel meetings were generally on week-ends (Friday thru Sunday) and so that gave us some time to do some sightseeing.    The meeting work was generally on two major topics, “The Emotions of a Christian” and “The Authority of Jesus Christ – How it is understood and applied.”  These lessons are designed to motivate  Christians to whole hearted devotion and service to Jesus Christ and are generally well received.   Usually the best compliment I receive has to do with helping others understand the Bible text and how it applies to daily lives.  In other words, I break it down in plain words for the common person.  The lessons on “The Emotions of a Christian” has to do with developing the emotions of God – to love what God loves and to hate what God hates.  These lessons are hard hitting but practical.   The series on Bible Authority is primarily taken from the letters of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians.   Paul is careful to establish the authority of Jesus Christ, which includes apostolic authority, as the foundation of the church, and uses this basic premise to solve every problem in the church at Corinth.  In these series, I usually include one lesson on Psalm 73 and another on “Living Godly in an Ungodly World” based upon Peter’s writings. 

Each local congregation is autonomous and independent of any other church or rule except that of Jesus Christ.  Desiring to do some preaching in the Northeast, where I had spent so much time as a professional baseball player,  I contacted about 100 churches and six invited me to come and speak.   I am always grateful for such invitations and realize the grave responsibility of proclaiming the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.  I ask people not to accept what I teach based upon my person, but to prove all things in the light of the Bible.  My lessons are Christ centered and Bible centered.

Speaking in the Schools

My baseball background usually gets me into the schools.  Most kids are willing to listen to a 20 year veteran of Major League Baseball.  I usually go with a friend who has some contact with the schools and talk to the principal and explain my purpose in speaking to the young people.   My main message has to do with morals and ethics by drawing from my baseball experience.  I usually end with a “question and answer” session with the kids.  I keep it lively and interesting and generally have no problem connecting with the kids, or if I am addressing the upper grades, “young men” and “young women”.  Sometimes I will wear my “monkey suit” as I call it – my Yankee cap and uniform!   In the public schools, I am not allowed to mention God or Christ, but generally the lessons I bring are based upon biblical principles.  In the public schools I usually stress staying away from tobacco, alcohol and drug use and emphasize the three “R’s”.   When drawing from my baseball experience, I emphasize both my “highlights” and “lowlights” in teaching values.  I place special stress on how to overcome adversity and the obstacles in life and how we ought to treat others.   In the private schools, there generally is no limitation on speaking about God and Christ.  I speak in all the schools without accepting a fee.

One of the most unexpected events was at a middle school in Maine where I spoke to 250 kids and wore my Yankee cap and jersey.  Even though this was “Boston Red Sox” country, I was received with much yelling and applause, and after a long question and answer session, many of the kids came up to hug me and wanted photos with me.   For a brief moment, I was treated as a celebrity--Strange world!

One of the most interesting schools was “Athens Bible School” in Athens, Alabama, where I spoke to the upper grades and the baseball team.  This is an accredited private school (K thru 12) that uses the Bible as the heart of its curriculum.  They also have a very good sports program.  This school was established in the 1960’s and receives no funds from churches or other religious institutions, but has graduated outstanding students who have gone on to institutions of higher learning.  It gives parents a real choice in the education of their children. 

I give away these little autographed cards with my photo and stats.  It is amazing what a small thing can do to make people happy and be willing to carry on a conversation.  Baseball crosses all ethnic, social, political and national boundaries.  The same is even more so regarding the religion of Jesus Christ which literally applies to all men everywhere and can span all boundaries.  And on the scale of importance, baseball pales in comparison.  On this trip I gave away about 600 baseball cards.   Also since returning home, I have mailed out 650 cards to schools who requested them, for which they were willing to pay a nominal fee.  On the card is my website which will direct people to the “Pitching for the Master” blog.  Hopefully some of these people will read the blog. 

Nancy and I took a lot of interesting side trips.  We spent three days in Amish country outside of Lancaster, PA at a “bed & breakfast” with a Mennonite family who owned a dairy farm.  We also spent three days in the Cooperstown, NY area, where the color of the trees had reached a brilliant peak.  I visited the Baseball Hall of Fame several times, wore my Yankee cap and jersey and signed a lot of autographs for the people.  We also drove through the White Mountains of New Hampshire and along the coast line of the Atlantic Ocean.   We visited many small historic towns along the way both coming and going.  We stopped by and visited old friends.  Between us we took about 1300 photos.  We had a great time, and it is a trip that we will long remember. 

I might add this final note.  During this trip both the Major League Play-offs and World Series were taking place.   The presidential election was going hot and heavy.  In some places we had no access to T.V.  Since returning home, Hurricane Sandy took place and the elections were finalized.  Both events have affected millions of people.  Fortunately none of the churches I visited in New Jersey were severely affected by the Hurricane, but everyone will be affected by the elections.

 

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Note: All of my articles can be accessed by going to lindymcdaniel.com and then click on the Pitching For The Master blog button.   If you desire to be placed on my special e-mail list for advanced attached copies of monthly articles, or if you know others who would like to be placed on the list, please let me know by contacting me at my E-Mail address:  lindymcdaniel77@reagan.com.    The photo at the beginning of this article shows my wife Nancy and me on the only sandy beach in Maine at Acadia National Park.  I think that this is about the only ocean beach to be found in Maine.

How To Be A Christian And Avoid Persecution -- Part Two

Last month, I wrote a tongue-in-cheek article with the above heading. I made a list of 17 things one can do to avoid being persecuted and still claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Even though I know it is impossible for a true follower of Jesus Christ to avoid persecution, I realize that thousands of people attempt to do this all the time. This was written to get people to think about what they are doing. Yes, terms need to be properly defined such as the word “persecution”. By persecution I mean suffering that comes as a result of our faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Many passages in the Bible deal with this including words of Jesus (see Matt. 5:10-11) and the writings of Paul (see 2 Tim. 3:12 and Peter (see 1 Pet. 4:15-16). I made this list especially for “weak” souls who want to avoid suffering for Christ. I well understand that “weak” is a broad term and very well may include Christians who are either weak in knowledge or tend to be faint-hearted in making a stand for Christ (see 1 Cor. 8:9-12; 2 Cor. 11:21; 1 Thess. 5:14; Heb. 12:12-13). Such folks need a lot of help and encouragement and are trying to serve Christ and are not seeking to avoid being persecuted. I also realize that persecution can take on many forms and does not always mean physical abuse, but can include ridicule, name calling, etc. So now I am going to take up these rules one by one and show why they are false. So just bear with me.

1. Go to church occasionally, but don’t let it become a habit. This shows others that you are religious but not a radical. My answer: This is exactly opposite of what the Bible teaches. The writer of Hebrews teaches: “…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25). The purpose for assembling was to stimulate one another to love and good works. There is nothing radical about this. It is more radical to have more interest in your hobbies or sports than you do in the Lord. Lack of edification, which is the main purpose of assembling together, leads to willful sin and falling away (See Heb. 10:26). You will find that the early church stuck together and assembled often.

2. Avoid talking to others about religion, for this makes people feel very uncomfortable. They might think that you are judging them. In fact, if possible, it is best to avoid all controversial subjects. My answer: If one really loves others, he is willing to talk to them about those things which will affect their lives the most. The early Christians were not bashful in doing this even if it meant rejection. The Devil is quite active in pushing his agenda at all times in all places. These early Christians were successful in overcoming Satan because of three things: “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death” (Rev. 12:11). The role of a Christian is to be a “beacon” reflecting the true light of Jesus Christ (see Phil. 2:15-16). The Devil would be quite pleased if Christians just “shut up” and hunker down in their bunkers out of public view which is exactly what some want Christians to do. But Christians take their orders from Jesus Christ, not the government or the ACLU. Paul wrote: “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret” (Eph. 5:11-12).

3. Avoid forming strong convictions on religious topics. The best way to accomplish this is don’t spend too much time studying the Bible. Too much knowledge can be a bad thing. Even Paul said that “knowledge makes arrogant” (1 Cor. 8:1). Didn’t Festus say to Paul, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad!” (Acts 26:24). Even Solomon warns: “. . . excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body” (Eccles. 12:12). My answer: Again, the Bible teaches the very opposite. Psalm 1:1-3: “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!   2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of  water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither;  And in whatever he does, he prospers.  In 1 Cor. 8:1 Paul is saying that  knowledge, just for the sake of knowledge, is an empty thing and produces  pride, but the goal of true knowledge is love that edifies. Memorizing facts is one thing, but learning truth in order to obey God is another thing  entirely. At all times Paul prayed that people might grow in knowledge, wisdom and fruit bearing (see Phil. 1:9-10; Col. 1:9-10). Yes, the worldly Festus believed Paul to be out of his mind, but Paul responded: “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth”  (Acts 26:25). Strong conviction is never a bad thing if it is based upon truth.  Solomon is cutting through the fat of searching in all of the wrong places by  stating: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will  bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Eccles. 12:13-14). How in the world can we keep God’s commandments if we don’t know what they are?

4. Don’t ever reprove others. If you do this, you are really asking for trouble. Some will end up hating you, and others will actually accuse you of hating them. My Answer: Yes, reproving others can be a risky business, and if we find out that a man is a fool (see Pro. 9:8; 15:12), I suggest it be avoided. Jesus warned us “not to throw pearls before swine” (see Matt. 7:6), that is, those who have no appreciation of its value. But a wise person will accept reproof and be better because of it. Reproof, properly motivated, is the evidence of love (see Lev. 19:17; Pro. 13:24). Correcting a brother should always be done in a spirit of humility and gentleness as taught in Gal. 6:1-2, and in so many other places. Yes, we will be subjected to hatred if we stand up for the truth, just as the early disciples of Jesus Christ were hated.

5. Make sure you sprinkle your speech with a bit of vulgarity and sexually explicit language. This let’s people know that you are really human. They will more readily open up to you. However, be careful not to do this around those overly religious types. They have probably never read what Solomon wrote: “Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?” (Eccles. 7:16). My answer: This makes no sense at all. But I have seen some who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ do this in order to be accepted as “one of the guys”. Purity of heart and of speech is to be one of the primary characteristics of a Christian. This quote from Solomon is misapplied. He is either speaking of such religious excesses as later was characteristic of the Pharisees who thought that they were the only righteous ones, or else he is simply speaking from the viewpoint of the world without any reference to God, as seen in his initial experiment of how to obtain happiness (see Eccles. 1:13). By the way, all of his experiments to find happiness failed. In spite of his great wealth and ability to explore all things (women, music, beautiful gardens, comedy, etc.) based strictly on what the world has to offer, in the end he said that “all is vanity and a striving after the wind” (Eccles. 1:14).

6. Practice all vices in moderation. Solomon also wrote that one should not “be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time” (Eccles. 7:17). So you see, a little wickedness is O.K. Just don’t go overboard. You can apply this thinking to social drinking, dancing, partying and all sorts of things. I was told, “Lindy, just have a few beers with the guys and show that you are a regular buddy.” Listen, just be discrete. Yes, that’s the key – be discrete. In baseball, a little cheating is O.K. Just don’t get caught! We might even reason, “Everybody does it”, but that might be a bit of an exaggeration. My Answer: The above is a total crock. Again, Solomon is writing from the point of view of finding happiness under the sun without being guided by God’s wisdom. There is no doubt that being a Christian is radical from the stand point of the world. A real Christian knows that he is not perfect, but as a servant of Jesus Christ and having been purchased by the blood of Christ, he strives to please Christ in all that he does. We make enough mistakes without deliberately sinning in order to win the approval of others. Can you imagine a baseball player deliberately booting the ball in order to be more accepted by the other team? No, we are trying to defeat Satan, not play his little game by giving in to temptation. The question here is integrity. Job held on to his integrity in spite of the barrage of opposition, even from his friends.

7. Try to stay clear of people who have strong convictions of right and wrong. Such people give religion a bad name, especially among the people of the worldly point of view. You have surely heard the names, “prude”, “self-righteous”, “do-gooder”, “heartless”, “square”, etc. applied to those people. Do you really want people to call you those kind of names? If people do not think well of you, how can you influence them? People tend to judge you by your associations.  My Answer: It is true that some people of strong conviction are wrong in their views. In this world, radical nuts do exist, as they existed in the world of the early Christians. Some people are all fury and no substance. Many of those who opposed the early Christians belonged in that category. But, if we do not support men and women of strong convictions based upon the teachings of Jesus Christ, we are dishonoring Jesus. Why do we think that it is strange to be called such names? The early Christians were called all kinds of names including “troublemakers”, “blasphemers of God”, “people who turned the world upside down”, “the sect that is everywhere spoken against”, etc. Jesus himself was called “a blasphemer”, “the prince of demons”, “a gluttonous man”, etc. You cannot control what other people say or do.

8. Try to stay in the middle of the road on controversial matters. Not too far to the right and not too far to the left. People will see you as being a true moderate and even as a diplomat. Stay above the fray. My Answer: Yes, spoken as a true wimp who doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. The fact is that Jesus was always controversial, and so were those who followed after his teaching as documented in the book of Acts. Right and wrong has no middle of the road. But the early Christians accounted faithfulness to Christ as being more important than life itself. Light always shines the spotlight on the works of darkness. But even in the controversial battles that must be fought, the real Christian always acts toward others in kindness and fairness, and even doing good to enemies. You do not see Christians acting with a mob mentality or returning evil for evil, but rather using the spiritual weapons provided by God.

9. Be tolerant of what other people believe and practice no matter how odd or strange. After all, they have the “right” to their behavior just as you have a “right” to do what you do. Whether you like it or not, our world has been heavily influenced by secular humanistic thinking, and so wee ht as well go along with the flow. Didn’t Jesus teach that we are not to judge others? No one is perfect. Doesn’t that excuse just about anything people want to do? The more outrageous the behavior of others, the more this principle seems to apply. Don’t you realize some of these people get real angry and ugly if you call into question what they do? This especially applies to homosexuals, heavy drinkers and other things I could name. But this same rule does not seem to apply to those “overly righteous” Christians. If you oppose them there is little chance that you will ever suffer persecution. My Answer: I have often observed that those who pride themselves in being tolerant are often extremely intolerant toward those who disagree with them. Perhaps in this area, the teachings of Jesus Christ have been the most perverted and abused by those who think that they know the mind of Christ, when in fact, they are totally ignorant of what the Bible teaches. While we are not to judge hearts and motives, nor use hypocritical judgment (see Matt. 7:1-6), we are taught to discern between good and evil and use righteous judgment (see John 7:24). We are to become intellectually and emotional in tune with God, and therefore we are to hate every false way while also showing love and compassion for all people. God calls certain sins an abomination and so they are. We also know that it is an abomination for some fools to turn away from evil (see Pro. 13:19). God is not wanting any to perish but all men come to repentance, but in the end He will destroy the wicked, as He has promised. Warning the wicked is an act of love and not hate. Just a few comments about homosexual behavior since this has been in the news so much lately. Some place this practice in the same category as the color of one’s skin. If I were a black person, I would be very offended by this. God places this practice in the category of abomination and unnatural sin (see Lev. 18:22; Romans 1:25-27). I agree that we should not hate anyone, but let me put it this way, “How do you feel about a grown person who sexually abuses children?” Do you hate these people or do you hate what they do? If you can understand this, you can understand also how Christians feel about the other practice. There is nothing racial about having strong feelings against those who abuse children.

10. Give others as many compliments as you can, even if you have to make things up. It makes people feel good and you will have many friends. There is no down side to this, unless someone finally figures out that you use flattery to gain favor with people. Also, go to a church where the preacher is totally positive and refuses to get caught up in negative preaching. Some say that is their calling, and who can argue with that!   My Answer: I believe that deserved compliments should always be given, even if the person is wicked. Observe how Paul addressed King Herod in Acts 26:2-3. But to use undeserved praise just to win the favor of others is simply flattery and ought always be avoided. Evil people with evil intentions specialize in this deceptive art in order to entice others (see Psalms 12:2-3; Proverbs 7:21). The church of Laodicea had high praise for itself, but God’s judgment was quite different (see Rev. 3:17). No preaching can be faithful to his calling by engaging only in positive preaching (see 2 Tim. 4:2-4). Keeping your eye on polls and giving people what they want to hear may keep you from avoiding persecution, but is cowardly and a reproach to God.

11. Act one way around religious people, especially those who are overly religious, and another way around worldly people. Paul wrote: “I have become all things to all men” (1 Cor. 9:22). Don’t you think that is what he was talking about? We say, “Do in Rome as the Romans.” I like the idea that Vegas uses, “What goes on here stays here.” In baseball, we had the same signs in the clubhouse. We all need these sanctuaries where we can feel free to do whatever we wish to do without fear of being exposed. Besides, aren’t morals always situational? Isn’t that what is taught to a lot of young people today? Imagine how radical is the idea that truths are absolute and apply to all people the same all over the world?  My Answer: How does the word “hypocrite” sound to you! We do not accept such double standards with our politicians much less Christians. Unfortunately this is exactly how some people act. Here Paul’s words are taken totally out of context. He was referring to customs and other such matters of spiritual indifference. He was not referring to matters of good and evil. Nothing is hidden from the sight of God. There is no “moral free zone.” How we might address confidential and private matters is not under consideration here.

12. Don’t feel passionate about anything. That is what gets people into trouble. Of course, it is alright to feel passionate about your favorite sports team! Also, in society you must feel passionate about those things that have been labeled “Politically Correct”, if you can figure out just what those things are. But as a normal rule, don’t have strong convictions about anything. You don’t want to give people the impression that you are opinionated! Remember, there are two sides to every question and if we can actually defend all sides we come across as being unbiased and very insightful. And we will be more likely to be picked for jury duty. Well, that might be a down side. If you do get into an argument with someone, cave in a quickly as possible, for Jesus said, “Agree with your adversary quickly” (Matt. 5:25). Having an apathetic attitude about religion will never get you persecuted.  My Answer: To me if you lack passion about anything you might as well be dead. God has emotion and God created man with emotion. Certainly a Christian should feel both sorrow and joy as he lives on the earth. If we feel no passion about the things of God, this only means that we are indifferent about such things. Here again, many in the world have a double-standard. It is alright for people to feel passion for things that reflect their values, but it is wrong for Christians to feel passion for things that reflect the values of God. There are indeed two sides to many questions, but also many questions involve matters of right and wrong. People who are unwilling to make a stand remind me more of cowards than those who are just being extra careful before they take a side. If we believe something to be right or wrong, why should we ever “cave” in just because we are opposed by someone? This is intellectually dishonest.

13. If the church where you attend starts to have problems, leave as quickly as possible so that you are not forced to take sides. The last thing you need is to have to determine who is right and who is wrong. Just leave and find a church were there are no problems. Good luck with this.  My Answer: What church doesn’t have problems. This is like saying, “Don’t bother me, I don’t want to get involved!” Christ has given us clear instruction as to how to solve problems, but non-involvement is not an option. Would you apply this same principle to your family? Having God’s wisdom means solving problems God’s way. Guess what? God is a lot smarter than we are.

14. If some well intentioned person tries to pressure you to be more diligent in your service to Jesus Christ, just tell them that the Bible teaches that we are not saved by our works. That should cool his/her heels. After all, if we “have” to do anything, doesn’t that mean that we are trying to earn our salvation?  My Answer: Well, I would hope that would not cool his heels. In this case, “not being saved by works” if we are using that expression in a Biblical way has nothing to do with encouraging people to be faithful to Jesus Christ. Those who teach that obedience has nothing to do with salvation are ill-informed. Just a simple survey of a few passages would put that baby to bed (see Romans 1:5; 16:26; Heb. 5:8-9). Recently I spoke to a friend who claims to be a Christian and attended a seminary school. I asked him if he though he had to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in order to be saved. He said, “No!” “Being a disciple is a choice and has nothing to do with salvation” because, as he put it, “salvation has nothing to do with works.” He thinks he is saved, but he need not worry about being persecuted for his faith, because being saved has nothing to do with how you live. I am amazed that so many people buy into that bit of garbage.

15. If someone insists that courage means that we always do the right thing regardless of the cost, just quote this to them: “Surely a live dog is better than a dead lion” (Eccles. 8:4). I know that some say that leadership and courage go hand in hand, but can’t we just get along?  My Answer: Here we go again quoting Solomon without understanding any of the context. The Bible teaches this: “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8). Yes, nothing gets done without leadership and that requires great courage. If we are unwilling to be courageous and support courageous leaders, then we are ashamed of Jesus Christ and the gospel of Christ. When the going got hot, many, even in the days of the apostles, left the church.

16. Follow everything your religious leaders tell you to do, unless of course they are one of those extreme people who place truth above everything else, and make demands on your own behavior. This could lead to suffering. Just passively going along with everything that you are taught will keep you out of trouble. This will also keep you from taking personal responsibility for what you believe. How can you be held responsible for what believing that these highly paid professionals are teaching? My Answer: It is never good to follow everything your religious leader says unless he can show that what he teaches is in harmony with the word of God. That is what many people were doing during the personal ministry of Jesus Christ, but in too many cases they were teaching things contrary to what God revealed. Of these Jesus said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man guides a blind men, both will fall into a pit” Matt. 15:13-14). The Bible warns that the world is full of false teachers. If we do not check things out for ourselves, how can we determine whether or not we are being deceived? Yes, we need to love the truth and always demand that it be taught, or else we are setting ourselves up to be deceived (see 2 Thess. 2:9-11). I admit that many who follow blindly their religious leaders will never experience persecution in the name of Jesus Christ for all they hear is spiritual pabulum (baby food) and some social message rather than God’s truth.

17. It is best to attend a very large church with a very fancy building. You can sort of blend in among the multitude. Since they usually have a policy of not judging anyone, and offer all sorts of social activities and contacts. This can help both your religious and social status. I could go on and on with more suggestions, but these will be sufficient for you to stay out of trouble. After all, it’s your choice. Do you really want to suffer persecution?  My Answer: I am not suggesting that there is any thing wrong with a large church if they are actively engaging in the Lord’s work and have been built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. But here I am speaking of mega churches, often under the control of one man, which has never practiced true discipline or provide real oversight, and offers to the people every social activity that can be thought up, but receives no strong Bible teaching. In such a setting, people can drift in and out with no consequences, and need not worry about being persecuted.

Folks, in Pitching For The Master I play “hard ball” when it comes to religion and sports. My purpose is to please Jesus Christ rather than man. Some dismiss what I write as being out of the mainstream, and are not willing to discuss the arguments involved. I am willing to engage in an honest communication, no matter how much you might disagree. The search for truth is never a waste of time for sincere seekers. I am willing to put the best construction on what people say and give them the benefit of the doubt, unless they show by words or actions that they have a “closed” mind. I have changed my mind a number of times, even on some highly controversial matters. But I need to be convinced from the word of God. I expect the same treatment from others. Thanks a lot of reading the articles in Pitching For The Master.


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-- Lindy