My Way or the High Way

Spirituality Column #256
October 4, 2011
Current in Carmel – Westfield – Noblesville – Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

My Way or the High Way
By Bob Walters

- “Regrets, I’ve had a few … but, I did it my way.” – Frank Sinatra (actually, Paul Anka)
- “What’s past is prologue.” – Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act 2, Scene 1
- “Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.” – Leroy “Satchel” Paige
- “Go in peace.” – Jesus Christ, Luke 7:50

Regret, fate and fear rob us of the blessed peace we should experience in Christ.

Sinatra’s trademark ballad "My Way" – actually a 1960s French tune with American lyrics written later (presumably “his way”) by Paul Anka – is a beautiful song with the worst possible message; the perfect anthem for the postmodern, Christ-free world of “I’ve Gotta Be Me.” Why? Because there is no salvation in doing things “my way,” only in doing them God’s way that is taught in the Bible, with faith in Christ.

“My way” is the fallen human way, and that is not good.

Even though I’m married to an English teacher whose college minor was Shakespeare, I always thought Marx or Nietzsche or Kant – not the Bard – authored this familiar “past is prologue” quote. Oops. Turns out this statement rationalizes an upcoming evil act (murder) and insinuates our human helplessness against the fates.

It’s tragic how much more readily we accept a shortsighted statement of human fate than an eternal statement of divine faith. “Fate,” apparently, absolves us of our human responsibility (whew!), while Christian faith ties us directly to our responsibility (bummer!). But there’s a huge problem: fate eliminates freedom, choice and hope, making us powerless slaves. Faith in the saving work of Christ on the Cross, however, sets us free from our sinful past, our hurting present, and promises us, one day, of a sinless eternity. Christ is the true engine of ultimate human freedom, and that is good.

Modern psychology generally insists we understand our past, face our fears, and stare back directly at what Satchel Paige suggests “might be gaining” on us. Christianity urges us to gaze forward with hope, but the lesson of the Bible is also that repentance comes before baptism. Observe Zacchaeus, the tax collector in Luke 19:1-8. It helps very, very much to have Christ in our hearts when we look in the rearview mirror of our lives. Only in Christ can our fear turn to compassion and peace.

Throughout the Bible the penitent are blessed, like the sinful woman in Luke 7 who with her own tears washes Jesus’ feet, is forgiven, and saved.

“With Christ” is the best way, the high way, and the only way, to go in peace.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) figures fate is a function of the lord of the world, Satan, who would rather we ignore judgment, doubt grace, and ridicule Christ. That’s his way.