Larry Bird?

[Sam Park]

I grew up a “closet� Boston Celtics fan. It was because of Larry Bird. He was my favorite. Where I grew up (crazy NY Knicks fans), we kept things like that to ourselves. But I did wonder what it was about the Celtic green that held such mystic (and hatred!). When I visited Ireland, I saw the reason why. The grass was the greenest green that I had ever seen in my life. Being a city boy, mind you, I haven’t seen much green in my life, but what I saw was nothing like I’ve ever seen before. The mystic of the green, however, wasn’t only due to the healthiness and lushness of the grass. The mystic is in the reason WHY the grass is so green. Someone told me that it was the unusually warm air that came blowing in from the Southwest. It wasn’t Larry Bird. It was God Himself who was blowing His breath of life directly onto the green grass of Ireland.

I look around at the patches of grass in our lives and I wonder who breathes on them? It probably is God. But why is there mostly patches and what’s up with its lack of color? It has nothing to do with God. His breath is fine. The lack of stewardship on our part is most likely the reason why. The Bedouins left certain pasture to heal and rejuvenate. They approached life long term. We need things now. We say that we are doing things spontaneously, but it’s probably more impulsive and lacking in wisdom and foresight. As a leader many years ago, I recognized the fact that the youth in my life then will be the next generation of leaders. I see the fruits of the investment made as many of those youth have grown up and are now leaders of our young church-plant. I guess the grass does seem a brighter shade of green over on this side of Atlantic as well.