March 2006

Roadshows Come To Town With Good Grace

I was talking to a taxi driver who said January was terrible for business, but things should pick up from March, ‘with the Grand Prix, the Commonwealth Games and then the footy starts’. Sport is big business, even for taxi drivers! But, that aside, sport has lots to teach us.

Some would contest this. I found it necessary recently to write a letter supporting the role of sport at Scotch. This was not particularly difficult. There are so many things we learn from sport; about people – ourselves, our team mates and the competitors. In addition, we learn about our approach to self-discipline, team discipline as well as fitness and skills relevant for a given sporting activity.

Other extra-curricular activities develop team skills with more emphasis on co-operation than competition; drama and music for instance. Furthermore, it is clear that some sports are less demanding than others in some areas (compare the personal training of the oarsman with the lawn bowler), and some are more indulgent (such as those requiring a boat, or a horse, or a ski lodge, or even a racing car!), but each creates a challenge for the participants. We are flying the Commonwealth Games flag at Scotch.

Of all the roadshows coming to town I’m looking forward to the U2 concert. I’m a fan from way back and was delighted to get tickets. One of my Christmas presents was a DVD of the band’s Chicago concert so I have an idea of what to expect. I also read the book Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas, and was delighted to read Bono’s explicit confession of faith.

‘It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between grace and karma.’

In explaining karma, Bono says:

‘What you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics – in physical laws – every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It’s clear to me that karma is at the very heart of the universe. I’m absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called grace to upend all that ‘as you reap, so you will sow’ stuff. Grace defies reason and logic.

He continues:

Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff... It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins on to the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.’

This week it was a pleasure to watch the boys enjoying inter-house summer sporting competition. Let’s trust that amid the activity the raw material for rich learning and friendships was put in place. The lessons we learn from sport often develop over time and are discovered with hindsight. The lessons of life are like that too. Slowly we come to realise that we need more than good karma, we need grace; even God’s grace. This too is part of our agenda at Scotch.

Graham Bradbeer