Peter, you've turned into a pirate

 Good morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I was was having a wonderful conversation with a friend the other day. Actually, I was having a wonderful listen. 

My friend was going on and on about all the bad things Christians, or at least those that call themselves Christian do in the name of Jesus, more aptly they say Christ. how they are judgmental, hypocritical, mean spirited...As my friend pontificated (I do like the word pontificate, it is just fun to say) I listened patiently, waiting for him to take a breath, I always find it amazing how long a person, who is in the midst of a rather lengthy discourse, can go without breathing. If you ask them to simply hold their breath they find it hard to last 30-seconds before needing to breath. But in the midst of a wonderful pontification they can go 20-minutes. Just thinking about it gets me to pondering the 7-wonders of the world. I think there should be eight. 

1. The Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
3. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
4. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
5. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
6. The Colossus of Rhodes
7. The lighthouse of Alexandria
8. The fact that my friend can pontificate for 20-minutes straight without taking a breath

After my friend finished his pontification and drew a deep breath I just looked at him and said, "Do you remember the movie Hook?"

He said, "Yes, I love that movie."

I replied, "Me too, I thought it was brilliant to cast Robin Williams as Peter Pan, that was pure genius."

My friend said, "Can you imagine how hard it would have been to act with Robin? I doubt if he even had a script!" 

I said, "I know, right?"

I mentioned that Peter's wife (played by Caroline Goodall) had a line in the movie that literally impacted me as a father. Peter was busy being a businessman and concentrating on making sure a deal got closed. Peter's wife Moria said, "Peter, your children are growing up right in front of you and you aren't being careful and are missing it!" 

The movie came out in 1991 and my kids were very young at that point and I vowed that I would not be Peter!

A little later in the movie Peters first girlfriend, Wendy, who was very old at this point and Moria's grandmother stood in disbelief as Peter pontificated on how important he was and how he had to make money. The image of her standing extra tall and looking deeply into Peter's eyes and she said, "Peter, you've become a pirate."

Brilliant, simply brilliant. 

What Wendy was saying to Peter was, "You have become the very thing that you always railed against and fought not to be!"

I looked at my friend, I stood extra tall and looked deep into his eyes and said, "You've become a Pirate." 

Instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, why don't we be the light in the world that we wished others would be? 

Let us shine the love of Christ on the people we meet and let God be the keeper of Heaven and Hell. 

Let us show people a different kind of Christian.

To spend our life giving people a different perspective. 

My friend liked that idea. 

As usual this caused me to think, ruminate and ponder. How have I become a pirate? 

I asked God to show me if I have any robber of ships at sea tendencies, to give me eyes to see them, and the courage to confront and leave them behind. 

I am wondering do you identify as part of the Lost Boys or a Pirate?  

My friend thinks I identify as Tootles because he thinks I lost my marbles.

Something to Ponder.

Blessings,

Roger

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