Why I Don't Care About the Super Bowl Anymore February 7, 2011

Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

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I've always related to Paul in a sinful kinda way.

So much good that I want to do, I don't do; and so much bad that I don't want to do, I do.

His sense of providence resonates with my experience.

God works for good - sooner or later and definitely in the end - in the lives of people who love Him; and I love Him and He's always come through for me, uh, sooner or later and definitely in the end.

Paul preferred to be with Jesus for all time than continue in the meanness, madness, and misery of these times.

While I'd rather die and go home to Jesus right now because I know that'll be heavenly and I'm sooooooo weary of those 3 m's mentioned in the previous sentence-paragraph and don't think I'll ever pay off my credit card debt, I think He's still using me according to His, uh, providence; though I don't think too much about how He's using me or what others think of how He's using me.

As a friend said recently, I can be impulsive; which certainly explains that credit card debt and long list of girlfriends back in high school.

Yeah, I can be impulsive.

True.

Impulsively, I'll follow as I think He's leading; and while I feel good about the direction more often than not, I've got covenant brothers, elders, staff, church members, and, uh, my wife to tell me when I'm headed...

Yeah, I've always related to Paul in a very, very, very human way.

Maybe that's why two of my consistently best friends are named Paul - one back home with Jesus and one still living on the left coast who doesn't correspond much anymore.

Maybe that's why I wonder why I was named Robert; for if you look up the meaning, Paul seems to be a better fit.

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Today's been really different in a Pauline kinda Christian kinda way.

Impulsively, I sensed the need to get to some nursing homes and hospitals even earlier than normal.

I just had a feeling that something was going to come up that was going to be a big reminder from Jesus about something and that I better clear out a big chunk of the day for it.

So I went to a nursing home to see a farmer who's been defying the oddsmakers about when the roll's being called up yonder for him. I'll never forget when he explained farming to me: "You go with what you get!" It was a good reminder before...

Then I went to a hospital to see the matriarch of a wonderful family of faith who's a little confused for reasons that are beyond me; or as I like to tell folks, "I'm the kinda doctor that's not good for very much!" She loves me and I love her and I had a great time praying with two of her daughters who kinda like me even if...

Then I went to another nursing home to see a good old - and I mean old in age (94) but so much younger in spirit than so many others half her age - friend who left the church before I came because she didn't like something that a predecessor did which makes me feel better about people who left the church after I came; and though she has another pastor now, she says I'm also her pastor which rekindles hope for...

Then I went to the health center of another nursing home because another oldie but goodie in her late 90s had something really, really, really important to say to me: "Dr. Kopp, I want to go home to Jesus. I'm tired. I want you to pray that Jesus will take me home now." Her mind and spirit are sooooooo strong; but there's not much left to her other body. I honored her request; and will honor it. She reminded me that...

Then came the reason why that had to be, uh, done earlier than normal - today's really, really, really big reminder from Jesus.

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I'm one of five police chaplains for our community and county; meaning I get called when, uh, I get called for...

It's usually tough stuff - like homicides, suicides, explosions, gang bangs, and other tragedies that have made me so jaundiced about ecclesiastical meetings that accomplish so little for Christ's sake other than meeting to meet because clergy are supposed to meet even if it's just to meet with substance being coincidental to meeting.

Anyway, I was called to a residential fire only blocks from the church.

Everyone escaped...except for a four year old boy and his dog.

God knows He's made me into a pretty tough hombre; and most folks have misquoted me in a Scarface kinda way if you know what I mean.

I don't suffer fools gladly; and because of my ministries like some of 'em listed in the second paragraph of this section, the Scarfaced Paul in me comes out with those who assume I'm a target for trifling.

That's probably why I'm especially impatient with clergy who have nothing better to do than meet about, uh, next to nothing for Christ's sake.

Well, if you've been reading KDs for any length of time, you know what I mean; and if you don't, I can't explain it to you because it would be like me trying to explain why dogs like to stick their heads outside of fast-moving cars and why I like to ride my pony to South Dakota.

Be that as it is or I am, I won't go into all of the details because surviving members of that little boy's family may read this; but I will say the boy made it to the top of the basement steps where he and his dog died side by side.

Again, as my sons say, I can be a real BA as circumstances dictate; but I wept like a baby after I left the family in the hospital just a few hours ago.

A four year old boy and his dog died side by side.

It was today's reminder from Jesus for me...and anyone else who...

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Stop.

The Jets not making it to the Super Bowl doesn't seem that important anymore.

Stop.

Tomorrow's ecclesiastical meeting to discuss gays in the church and what kinda polity will work best for a dying denomination doesn't seem that important anymore.

Stop.

So much of what I think is important and maybe what you think is important seem so irrelevant/inane when compared to a four year old boy and his dog who died side by side this morning.

Stop.

We've got to stop anything in us or anyone around us that/who so selfishly forgets the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Stop.

Paul said that.

Stop.

He got it from Jesus.

Stop.

If we're really, really, really related to him/Him...

Stop!!!

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Blessings and Love!