"God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."

If there’s one thing above all others at the root of the ills of the human race, especially in these changing times, it’s pride. Wise King Solomon penned what is undoubtedly the most well known verse on pride in the Bible, and it speaks volumes about the damage pride can do: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Look at that last word: fall. When we read this verse, we usually think of a setback or someone getting knocked off a pedestal because of pride. But the word has a much more cosmic meaning when you think about the fact that pride was at the root of Satan’s rebellion against God and his banishment from heaven. “I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High,” Satan declared (Isaiah 14:14).

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Why is it that, for the most part, you don’t have to look any further for a great example of prideful leadership than the largest church on the block?  We like to criticize our politicians and business leaders for their unchecked egos and unrestrained power, but the truth is we are growing the same kind of crop in our own backyard.

Now if you are already thinking of a way to condemn that first sentence, please take a pause and hear me out. I am not saying that all “mega” churches are being led by “mega” egos.  I am also not saying that it is impossible for a large church to be properly run by a humble pastor who is being held accountable by humble men and women.

What I am saying is that pride, in its purest form, is the crack of modern Christianity – it invades, seduces, and destroys everything in its path.

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Taunt  not the foe
perceived or otherwise
taunt not the monster
with the cold blood heart
slain villains
felled cretans
murdered murderers
may have well deserved what came
but life is life
and her violent end
though justified
cannot be celebrated 

I was watching a huge international soccer (football for the serious fan) match last week, Real Madrid v. Barcelona in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.  Next to the World Cup and maybe the European Championships, it is without a doubt the biggest soccer tournament in the world and this particular matchup (a bonus fielding of El Clásico as they call the meetings in Spain) is about as big as a soccer match comes.

The match was won on two goals by Lionel Messi of Barcelona.  Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest player on the planet and perhaps, without blasphemy to Pele, the greatest of all time.  At 5’7” tall, his nickname little is well given, but his magical skill, poise, and heart of a lion are unsurpassed.What was amazing to me is that when he scored one of those two goals re ran to the sideline and after a bit of team celebration held up the team’s logo on the front of his jersey to the fans with jubilation while gesturing to his heart.  I have seen many other players in countless sporting events point - literally point - to the name on the back of their jersey when they score a touchdown, big shot, or goal.There it was, in front of 500 million plus viewers, the basic difference between athletes.  Some think the name on the front is more important than the name on the back, most don’t.  As I thought about it more it occurred to me that it isn’t just athletes, it is all of us.  The world boils down to either me or something other than me, something greater than me, something more transcendent than me.

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I mentioned in a previous blog about the pursuit of fame and fortune that drove me in my younger days.  In what I now refer to as “my rock and roll dream,” the long-term plan was to work as an engineer by day and a musician by night, writing and recording my material while getting exposure and experience in the local club scene.  It would only be a matter of time until I would record the killer demo, move down to LA, recruit some monster musicians, and launch my career.  From there, it would simply be a short limo trip to fame and fortune.

Of course, that didn’t happen, for a lot of reasons—talent, marketability, maturity, circumstance, and the Small Still Voice that invited me into a better way of life.

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Fame, popularity, achieving distinction, celebrity status, being renown, having notoriety, attaining a high social status, and even just being known “well” all come with a high price. All place the person high up in an unattainable position and such ascribed status’ can bring danger to both the individual and the people around that person. When we place too much value on the “beyond humanness” of a person, we have taken that person from just being “like us” to something “other” and have, in effect, created an alien being which can quickly become unrecognizable to mortal humans. Fame tends to produce superiority and a “better than” ethos within the individual. Moreover, fame can make a person feel untouchable, indestructible, invincible, immortal, and above the law—what is worse is when society has reinforced those mantras. Now, couple all that with money and power and you have a recipe for calamity rooted in pride, maintaining social status, and continuing the ascribed power for that person. Is this what did Tiger in? Let us ponder that a bit more.

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This is it? Well, not quite. You see, money is a powerful element in our society; and money tied to a world icon is an even greater draw to that money. Michael Jackson’s posthumous documentary drops this week and I have to say, I’m going to wait until it’s out with Netflix before I go and see it. I’m just not convinced that its what its geared up to be—it seems to be home video of Jackson dancing and preparing for his last concert. It’s hard to let icons die—I know, people still think Tupac is alive in Jamaica somewhere. Jackson made a lot of people a lot of money, moreover, he continues to make people money even in death; this documentary is just another step in the Jackson money making machine.

Now, I hate to sound skeptical, I’m sure there were plenty of people who worked on this film who had their “heart” into it. I’m sure there are plenty of fans that are just going to love this. However, the reality of it all is that money rules the roost. For the last few months, brutal battles of what belongs to whom have been hashed out in Los Angeles courts to get control of Jackson’s estate. Furthermore, there have been several people who have come out of Jackson’s camp attempting to get their “15 minutes” and early payday by talking about their interactions with Jackson.

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I don’t have much in common with politicians. I have none of Hillary’s ambition, and Palin’s idealism is beyond my reach. I’ve never developed Dubya’s Texas charm, and Schwarzenegger’s biceps are worth three of mine. But when it comes to my occasional sin delusions, I’m an awful lot like Rod Blagojevich.

This week, the political cadaver that is Rod B. pulled himself together one more time to plead with Congress to halt his impending impeachment. He managed to beg from an upright position at the podium and cling to his gutsy refrain: “I have done absolutely nothing wrong.” He looked at the senators leaning forward in their seats and claimed, "It's painful and it's lonely, but I want you to know I never, ever intended to commit a criminal act." From the start of his let’s-make-a-deal senate seat scandal last month, the Illinois governor has been publicly flabbergasted by the outrage against him, and has stuck to the story that he and his conscience crafted.

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