People who love success will view others as a means or a threat toward their own self promotion. Today’s positive thinking can sound so good, but be in reality O so wicked. While driving back to the office this afternoon I was ease dropping on a conversation between ESPN talk radio host Jim Rome and the University of Memphis basketball coach John Calipari. Coach Calipari is winsome and engaging and wonderfully positive about life. I found myself engaged by his communication wondering how much of what he was saying was true about life. He spoke of the 15 “House For Sale” signs he has in his garage that he has pulled up from his yard that have been placed there by angry fans over the years. And with this I was engaged in his trials. He spoke of how he has learned that what he is doing is not about himself, but about his the promotion of his assistants and his players, and how this has helped him as he as matured to handle the difficult trials of coaching in the limelight. He spoke about how he has learned to look at everything in a positive way and not get down on people, even when they have things to say about your family or your character. He was talking about everything having a positive side and everything working out for the good. And I found myself tracking with him, I was hooked, I thought this guy is on the right track. And then it hit me. Jim Rome asked him what he was doing this afternoon and coach Calipari responded, “I am talking on the best damned radio show…and then I am going to speak to the Johnny Rockets franchises...I am bouncing back all over the place.” Then I heard something about a book! (Check it out for yourself http://shots.bostonsportsmedia.com/2008/03/shots-proud-to-announce-book-deal/)
And I realized I was being scammed, lied to, raked over the coals of self promotion and I turned the radio off. Promoting assistants and players is about promoting self. Finding out how to deal with trials by looking on the sunny side of the positive life is a scheme for the glory of man. I realized when he said that everything works out for the good and left out for those who love God and are called according to his purpose all I could hear was the sound trowels and the laying of bricks. How would the greatest apostle of the first century have spoken to the man who lost his job or the franchises of Johnny Rockets who have the greatest headache in the world to deal with everyday, personel? Calipari can recruit his assistants and players, the man who lost his job has to go looking under the guise, “Fired”. Johnny Rocket hamburger flippers come with a resume listing their last four employers, McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s and Arbys. But I forgot, Coach Calipari was fired by the Nets after 20 games and that’s why he is qualified to speak to people who face tremendous struggles everyday. But don’t forget the book due in September 09 that will give you all the answers you are looking for to deal with life’s struggles. All is vanity, all is a sham of self promotion. The first century apostle would say, follow me as I follow Christ, and by the way this is the way of death. And every trial is death leading to death, but it is all for the glory of God not the glory of self. The way of the cross is foolishness and it is foolish for self promoting men to believe in a God who popularizes the theology of the cross rather than the theology of glory. Think on the sunny side, Coach Calipari came in 2nd at NCAA Finals this year, I wonder how many of those sunny side endings the fans in Memphis will put up with? I wonder how many of Pat Riley’s “The Winner Within” books will sell this year after his 15 and 67 record and announced retirement. Truth lasts but positive thinking for the end of self promotion loses it’s hair, outgrows being rejuvenated, gets beyond the reach of HGH, and gets replaced.
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