The Duel I’m a huge movie fan and often use video clips of scenes that relate to or illustrate a point I’m attempting to make in my classes. I do this because often Hollywood with their technological wonders can make a point more powerfully and eloquently that I can via a lecture. Because I love sports and I am a kinesiology (study of movement) professor my favorite genre is movies about sports. Near the top of that list is “Brian’s Song”. This movie was derived from the book “I Am Third” written by Gale Sayers who was an All Pro African American running back for the Chicago Bears in the middle 60s. Gale’s book portrayed the life and death of his team mate and best friend, Brian Piccolo, a Caucasian. After playing only five seasons with the Bears Piccolo died of cancer at the age of 26. One of the most touching scenes in the movie is when Gale, portrayed by Billy Dee Williams, is speaking to a large crowd of people at an NFL award banquet and explaining his admiration and love for his best friend who was dying. During his speech Billy said ‘I love Brian Piccolo and I’d like all of you to love him too." It is a powerful scene and I cry every time I watch it. Neither my father, Buddy, nor I were professional actors like Bill Dee, but through our years together and singularly we’ve been known to wax poetic and create powerfully dramatic scenes when making a point, especially if either of us were angry. Daddy also loved basketball with a passion and as his first born son as soon as I was able to hold one he put a basketball in my hands and thus began my round ball training! Daddy never said it but his actions and basketball training regimen he put me through evoked a Gale Sayer’s like statement – “Boo, I love basketball and I want you to love it to!” So, for my first 10 years of life Buddy and Boo had a passionate love affair with basketball training. Also, there were no youth leagues for basketball in those days so I’m sure Allen Iverson would not have liked all the “practice, you talking about practice” that we did on the back patio on Behan Street! I’ll never forget the hours and hours of time daddy spent with me and but one reason we loved each other so much while he was here and now in heaven. However, anyone who has experienced a deeply involved relationship knows that sooner or later both get cross with the other. I can’t remember what the catalyst of our disagreement was but he suddenly erupted into a rage and in a flash I realized that my rear end was on a crash course with one of dad’s legendary spankings. It wasn’t until I took psychology in college and learned about the “fight or flight syndrome” that I finally understood why I abruptly bolted from daddy, but he took up the chase after me. I believe I was about eight and pretty scrappy for my size and age which could explain how I could evade a grown man for as long as I did. At one point we literally ended up on opposite ends of our dining room table and when he would bolt to his left I mirrored that movement which continued for several minutes; left stop, right stop, right stop, left stop! I assume my diminutive size allowed me to out-negotiate daddy through the obstacle course of chairs, the table, and other furniture within the confines of our dining room which explains how I avoided capture and escaped a horrible end – at least for a few more minutes. A fleeting pause in the action found us weary combatants facing each other, bent over with hands on our knees and gasping for breath. Daddy rasped out “son, sooner or later I am going to get you! Stop now and it won’t be too bad, continue running from me and I’m gonna tear your butt up!” Well, I’m still alive and have no visible scars so I obviously acquiesced to daddy despite the penalty I knew would befall me. I believe our spiritual journey is very similar to my duel that day. I had done something wrong which resulted in a negative consequence, which is aptly illustrated in Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived…..A man reaps what he sows.” However, in lieu of accepting a logical consequence, learning and moving on I chose to make matters worse by running from my father. Now, obeying the Word of God does not guarantee freedom from pain and suffering. But, ignoring His tenets guarantees misery will occur and inescapable. "Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 8:20). Readers, like Gale felt about Brian I love God and I want you to love Him too! One of the best ways to demonstrate our love for Him is to do our best to obey his word so we do not invite more misery into our lives than we would normally face. Besides, duelling with God is a no win situation. Thus, my prayer is that God gives us the wisdom to understand His directions and the wherewithal and strength to obey Him. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. Dr. Blue youtube/watch?v=OfI_HT39eeM
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 22:04:40 +0000
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