Christian Living

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Larry Lilly’s Letter Friday March 10, 2006

One of the joys of living for a while is that you get to see and hear some wild remarks and then over the course of years, observe the harvest of said remarks.

My friend, Al Ray sent some statements by famous or infamous people and then the ultimate slap in the face that followed.

In his sermon Al pointed out that the man responsible for building the Titanic stated to a reporter who inquired concerning the safety of the ship, “Not even God could sink it.” According to an account in a magazine at my doctor’s office, reports are coming in that the Titanic hit an iceberg and is now at the bottom of Davey Jones’ Locker. The magazine is awaiting further results and will report.

I mentioned a man’s name some time ago and a young man, in his mid twenties asked me, “Who is that? What did he do?” The man I mentioned was John Lennon. In 1966 in an interview Mr. Lennon said: “Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple. Today we are more famous than Jesus Christ.” Mr. Lennon’s ‘we’ was a reference to The Beatles. After being brutally murdered had Mr. Lennon rose from the dead he might have been more humble when referring to Jesus. I’m certain in whatever realm he now finds himself, he has a modified opinion.

Al’s list has a number of famous people who said what has turned out to be dumb sayings. But I depart from the list and move on with a lesson for us all and most pointedly direct the remaining bit of space to those who are certain they have ‘arrived.’ This sense of ‘arrival’ includes members of the clergy.

During a heated political campaign an arrogant Englishmen was opposed to Sir Winston Churchill. As the man passed by at social event Mr. Churchill was heard to remark,

“There but for the grace of God goes God.”

We all know at least one person to whom Churchill’s observation would apply. I can think of several as I write. Some women even have this Messianic opinion of themselves. My grand daughter’s dog feels the same way as does my sister in law’s cat.

Of course I do not write for the masses nor for individuals. I write as a way of looking at myself and hopefully making the necessary corrections such searing insight demands. Having lived a long time and enjoyed more than average success, I must keep my arrogant self in check and hope that friends and hangers on do not make a remark about me akin to Churchill’s aside about his opponent.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

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