Thursday, April 13, 2006
Lessons From Wrestling
The other night I had a blast! About a year ago, we had a guy find Christ in a very powerful way. He is a referee for professional wrestling--the kind you see on TV. He got started by Fritz Von Eric and Fritz was his hero. He has been after me a long time to go with him and I’ve not been able to. But, I did the other night. I went with him to a wrestling thing in Denton.
I had a blast!!!! It was some of the best entertainment I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m going back. I think Jesus would be there--and hope he remains a referee for a long time to come--what an awesome place of ministry. Cussing, beer drinkin, along with lots of other kinds of drinkin, wild looking, out of control people all over the place. Some things struck out to me as I watched this all unfold:
First, I was an old man at this thing. No one was in their 40’s. This is a very, very young sport. Everyone was in their late teen's to late 20's. I felt bad about the fact there were many young children and even a couple of babies there. I had figured everybody was older at this stuff--man was I wrong.
Second, I saw some of the edgiest and wildest looking people on the face of the earth here. I listened to how they referred to one another – "Goth" "white-trash" "----" and other assorted things! This crowd--they were beyond some of the wildest post-moderns I’ve ever seen--in language, dress, you name it.
Third, I was where I’m convinced Jesus would be. Who starts churches for these people? Who cares about these people? Many of them are the left-behinds and forgotten of society. I began to talk to a lot of them and ask them questions. I liked them a lot--they were really cool people--just trying to find a place of community. When you got past their façade – they were like anyone else. Many of them very kind, many of them hurting, many of them having been hurt--all of them looking for community.
Fourth, those wrestlers--they’re real athletes. I’ve never seen guys flip in the air and land on canvass like they did. People talk about what is fake and real at wrestling--it doesn’t matter. There is enough "real" stuff they have to do that there is no way it could be done without hours of practice and bodies in incredible shape. I have a newfound appreciation for their level of fitness and excellence. They aren’t just body builders!
I had a blast!!!! It was some of the best entertainment I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m going back. I think Jesus would be there--and hope he remains a referee for a long time to come--what an awesome place of ministry. Cussing, beer drinkin, along with lots of other kinds of drinkin, wild looking, out of control people all over the place. Some things struck out to me as I watched this all unfold:
First, I was an old man at this thing. No one was in their 40’s. This is a very, very young sport. Everyone was in their late teen's to late 20's. I felt bad about the fact there were many young children and even a couple of babies there. I had figured everybody was older at this stuff--man was I wrong.
Second, I saw some of the edgiest and wildest looking people on the face of the earth here. I listened to how they referred to one another – "Goth" "white-trash" "----" and other assorted things! This crowd--they were beyond some of the wildest post-moderns I’ve ever seen--in language, dress, you name it.
Third, I was where I’m convinced Jesus would be. Who starts churches for these people? Who cares about these people? Many of them are the left-behinds and forgotten of society. I began to talk to a lot of them and ask them questions. I liked them a lot--they were really cool people--just trying to find a place of community. When you got past their façade – they were like anyone else. Many of them very kind, many of them hurting, many of them having been hurt--all of them looking for community.
Fourth, those wrestlers--they’re real athletes. I’ve never seen guys flip in the air and land on canvass like they did. People talk about what is fake and real at wrestling--it doesn’t matter. There is enough "real" stuff they have to do that there is no way it could be done without hours of practice and bodies in incredible shape. I have a newfound appreciation for their level of fitness and excellence. They aren’t just body builders!
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