No Longer the Running Man
Mark 14:51-52
And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him but he left the linen cloth, and fled naked.
Yup, I am from the 1970's where "Streaking" was all the rage. Above are the lyrics song by Ray Stevens about Streaking that got a lot of air play. I did Streaking a few times with friends. It was weird and uncomfortable and before I drank alcohol.
Needless to say, this young man mentioned in the verses from Mark was running naked from an audience and was hardly "inviting a public critique" (how about a public crucifixion?) from the hands of Roman soldiers. Evidence suggests that the naked young man was John Mark, an early follower of Jesus. So, he ran buck naked into the night. What did his momma say when he got home? "Where you been boy? All naked and out of breath? I should whip yo' naked butt...ocks (Gump-like) !" We think that biblical characters would act all proper and holy in an event like this..."Son, thou has come hence lessened of thy raiment." Right. As it is, we can commend that naked young man...he was the closest follower to Jesus at that point His momma would have most certainly wanted an explanation...fast. Suspicion would have probably been that he was close to someone else...and her daddy came home and chased him out of his house minus his clothes.
Three days later John and Peter ran to the grave of Jesus and found it empty. This time, it was the cloths that had wrapped the dead body of Jesus that were left behind. I know that there is a deep spiritual metaphor here with the "cloth and naked" parallel but I don't have the inclination to fully uncover it. This much is true...man is either running naked from God or to God to cover our nakedness despite our physical attire (with his cloth of righteousness that he leaves for us...second-hand clothing from God who does not need it).
I have recently given up running altogether (naked or not). Ever since high school, I have had a bum left knee. After two operations on it, I decided to just suck up the pain and not go under the knife any more. Since then, I have continued to run, play basketball, and even rugby for six seasons, except for a brief interlude about ten years ago when I only walked for about six months...I came up with a little quote from that non-running time..."I may not be able to run, but I can walk. I may not be able to sing, but I can talk." It was my way of making my peace with my limitations, running and otherwise; where I was going to focus on the good I could do and not focus on what I could not do.
I am again coming to the conclusion that running on my bad knee--despite the enjoyment and benefits I derive from it--is no longer worth it. My knee aches and my head aches persistently because of the several hours of pounding my left knee absorbs weekly. Makes me wonder why I have not accepted the simple truth that if an action causes and creates physical pain, it is best to stop that activity. Duh.
Reminds me of a story I heard one time about a man who was pounding his head with a hammer. Someone came up to him and asked him why he was pounding his head with a hammer. His reply: "It feels so good to stop."
So, I am stopping my running, for now. I am joining the ranks of arm-swinging tight-assed middle-aged power-walkers. We'll see how long this lasts.
And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him but he left the linen cloth, and fled naked.
"Here he comes, there he goes
And he ain't wearin' no clothes
Oh, yes, they call him the Streak
Fastest thing on two feet
If there's an audience to be found
He'll be streakin' around
Invitin' public critique"
And he ain't wearin' no clothes
Oh, yes, they call him the Streak
Fastest thing on two feet
If there's an audience to be found
He'll be streakin' around
Invitin' public critique"
Yup, I am from the 1970's where "Streaking" was all the rage. Above are the lyrics song by Ray Stevens about Streaking that got a lot of air play. I did Streaking a few times with friends. It was weird and uncomfortable and before I drank alcohol.
Needless to say, this young man mentioned in the verses from Mark was running naked from an audience and was hardly "inviting a public critique" (how about a public crucifixion?) from the hands of Roman soldiers. Evidence suggests that the naked young man was John Mark, an early follower of Jesus. So, he ran buck naked into the night. What did his momma say when he got home? "Where you been boy? All naked and out of breath? I should whip yo' naked butt...ocks (Gump-like) !" We think that biblical characters would act all proper and holy in an event like this..."Son, thou has come hence lessened of thy raiment." Right. As it is, we can commend that naked young man...he was the closest follower to Jesus at that point His momma would have most certainly wanted an explanation...fast. Suspicion would have probably been that he was close to someone else...and her daddy came home and chased him out of his house minus his clothes.
Three days later John and Peter ran to the grave of Jesus and found it empty. This time, it was the cloths that had wrapped the dead body of Jesus that were left behind. I know that there is a deep spiritual metaphor here with the "cloth and naked" parallel but I don't have the inclination to fully uncover it. This much is true...man is either running naked from God or to God to cover our nakedness despite our physical attire (with his cloth of righteousness that he leaves for us...second-hand clothing from God who does not need it).
I have recently given up running altogether (naked or not). Ever since high school, I have had a bum left knee. After two operations on it, I decided to just suck up the pain and not go under the knife any more. Since then, I have continued to run, play basketball, and even rugby for six seasons, except for a brief interlude about ten years ago when I only walked for about six months...I came up with a little quote from that non-running time..."I may not be able to run, but I can walk. I may not be able to sing, but I can talk." It was my way of making my peace with my limitations, running and otherwise; where I was going to focus on the good I could do and not focus on what I could not do.
I am again coming to the conclusion that running on my bad knee--despite the enjoyment and benefits I derive from it--is no longer worth it. My knee aches and my head aches persistently because of the several hours of pounding my left knee absorbs weekly. Makes me wonder why I have not accepted the simple truth that if an action causes and creates physical pain, it is best to stop that activity. Duh.
Reminds me of a story I heard one time about a man who was pounding his head with a hammer. Someone came up to him and asked him why he was pounding his head with a hammer. His reply: "It feels so good to stop."
So, I am stopping my running, for now. I am joining the ranks of arm-swinging tight-assed middle-aged power-walkers. We'll see how long this lasts.
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