“Wait. Hold up!” I stopped a conversation to finish formulating a corny joke in my head. We were at the summer BBQ for the men’s group at my church. Pork ribs were the main entrée for the night. I knew there must be some connection between Genesis and the gospels here. Finally, it came to me. The resulting joke was underwhelming for those who had to suffer hearing it. However, for me, it was like a satisfying ribbon of rabbinic poetry flowing from the recesses of socially awkward intent. “If we are having ribs tonight, I wonder if the speaker is teaching on Genesis 2,” I said. I was referencing the scene when God puts Adam to sleep and creates Eve from a rib taken from Adam’s side. My satisfied smile was met with slow head shakes and disapproval. Preparations for the event picked right back up where they left off as I walked away feeling like I had accomplished my purpose for the night. When my internal laughter faded, I began to think more about the Garden of Eden scene in light of ...
“Everybody, hold your babies in the air,” yelled a Globetrotter from center court. The arena filled with laughs and cheers as the Lion King soundtrack’s, Circle of Life, played for thousands of people. This was the scene as the Harlem Globetrotters proudly hoisted a toddler above head whom they retrieved from his mother and father who sat joyfully in the crowd. As the Trotters comically reenacted the famous scene of Simba’s public presentation, they found a way to include not just one young fan, but multiple young fans into their show, all at once. The basketball play was skillful, the comedy was entertaining, but what impacted me the most about the Globetrotters was their care for the children of our city. Multiple times they centered kids in their comedy routines. It was all new to the kids of course, but the Trotters listened and reacted to the kids witfully. They invited youngsters to dance, run and play with them on the biggest stage in town. Beyond the four quarters of pl...