“Dance Like Nobody’s Watching” 

I saw an interview with the newly elected Speaker of the House Michael Johnson. He spoke about his “adopted” first son whose challenges, including skin color (he’s black), made it more difficult for him to grow up than for his second son who was white. He commented that every person has a different path in life and some paths are more difficult than others. Knowing this can bring about real empathy for others.

I recently read a biography of Satchel Paige, the great pitcher who spent most of his baseball life in the “Negro League”. The famous Dizzy Dean once said, “I know who’s the best pitcher I ever see and it’s old Satchel Paige, that big lanky colored boy. My fastball looks like a change of pace alongside that little pistol bullet ole Satchel (Paige) shoots up to the plate.” What’s amazing is how much Satchel accomplished with the heavy weight of “Jim Crow” piled on his shoulders. He had to endure so much in order to succeed. He clearly had his flaws and was far from perfect; but in the final analysis he was the Babe Ruth of pitchers….. an incredible baseball player, and an even more incredible human being. 

We’ve all heard the idiom, “Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.” That was the point of Speaker Michael Johnson …..  a reminder to practice empathy. This also helps us to guard against the sin of rash judgement …… “ the unquestioning conviction about another person’s bad conduct without adequate grounds for the judgment”.

The book of Proverbs  makes it even more clear:

• “He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him.” (Prov. 18:13)
• “He who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” (Prov. 18:17)
• “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Prov. 18:20)

We live in a world of where “ the headline is all that is seen, where only the loudest shouter is heard, where there’s no room for discussion”. In this climate, there’s a danger in coming away with the wrong conclusion, with something less than the truth. We need to be careful that we guard against rash judgements. It takes patience to listen and give your opponent a chance to explain why they embrace what they are presenting…….. is there any logic in their position, any facts, any truth in what they are saying?  Even if we end up on different sides of the issue, may we not hate the other person. May we even respect them as men and women made by our God in heaven. 

Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neil were on very different sides of important issues, yet they would still enjoy a glass of Single Malt Scotch together after a tough day. And I think that was a pretty good thing. 

And remember one final word from Satchel, “work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching…. and don’t look back, they may be gaining on you.”