The Bald Goat

I was recently introduced to the song “Black Swan Song” by Athlete on twitter.  I really like this band and this song is amazing!  I have embedded the video to this song a little further down the post, but first I want us to get our minds in the right area.  I want us to look at a couple of terms  that I believe are referenced in this song.

First is the term “swan song”.  Many of you may have heard this term before, but here is how Wikipedia defines it:

The phrase “swan song” is a reference to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan is completely mute during its lifetime until the moment just before it dies, when it sings one beautiful song.

Not actually true, but the imagery is so appealing that it has been used in literature over the centuries many, many times.  By extension, “swan song” has become an idiom referring to a final theatrical or dramatic appearance, or any final work or accomplishment. It generally carries the connotation that the performer is aware that this is the last performance of his or her lifetime, and is expending everything in one magnificent final effort.

Stick this idea in the back of your mind for a little bit.  We will come back to it in a minute.

The second term is “black swan”.  Again I have found great information about this term from Wikipedia:

The term Black Swan comes from the 17th century European assumption that ‘All swans are white’. In that context, a black swan was a symbol for something that was impossible or could not exist.  This all changed of course when black swans were discovered in Western Australia in the 18^th Century.

It is like when people today say, “Well, that will happen when pigs fly!”  or “When hell freezes over!”  It is just a way of saying that whatever you are talking about will never happen.

The Black Swan Theory concerns high-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare events beyond the realm of normal expectations.  Today, this is most typically a reference to a negative event.

Can you think of any events in recent history or better yet in your life that would be considered a black swan?

You might think of September 11, 2001 or Pearl Harbor.  You might think of when a significant family member passed away unexpectedly or when you or someone close to you came down with cancer or diabetes.

I have been thinking of this idea of black swan recently with what my father-in-law is going through.  He injured his knee a few weeks ago and as he was reaching for some pain medicine in the cabinet he blacked out.  He woke up bruised and unable to move on the floor.  Over the course of the next few hours he made his way across the floor to his bedroom where he got to his phone and called his son.  12 hours later paramedics were taking him away in an ambulance.  His heart stopped 4 times that night and he now has a pacemaker.  Less than 2 years ago he had a physical that showed him to be as strong and healthy as a horse.  It just doesn’t make sense.  This was totally unexpected.  His life will never be the same.

This was definitely a black swan.

What kind of emotions does a person go through when they are faced with a black swan?

Pain
Saddness
Fear
Worry
Doubt

Listen to the following song by Athlete.

Athlete on MUZU.

Can you identify the black swan?

What feelings are expressed as a result of the main characters black swan?

The chorus form this song is as follows:

I’ve been racing the clock,
And I’ve run out of steam,
I am ready for my final symphony.
Oh, my body is weak,
But my soul is still strong,
I am ready to rest in your arms.

The character struggles to keep going.  He is scared and just wants the terror to end.  He is ready for his “final symphony”, his swan song.  He just wants it to all be over.  He feels physically weak and just wants peace.  Certain scriptures come to my mind when I hear this chorus:

Matthew 26:41 - Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.

Matthew 11:28 - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

I think, at times like this, it is quite common, whether we admit it or not, to cry out to God and ask if he notices our suffering?  Does he care?  Why would he allow you to suffer through such pain and agony if He was really looking out for you?

I believe He does care and I believe it pains Him to see us suffer.

Look at the story of Jesus and Lazarus from John 11.  Jesus hangs back a few days before going to see his friend and when he gets there Lazarus has been dead for 4 days.  Lazarus’s sisters Mary and Martha are torn apart by what seemed like Jesus’ lack of concern for their brother. “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” cries Martha.  According to John, Jesus knew all along what he was going to do.  He knew before Lazarus died that he would bring him back from the dead and yet when he saw the pain in the eyes of the family and friends he could not help but feel their pain.

He cared deeply about them.

Even knowing what was about to happen, Jesus broke down and wept with them.  He understood their feelings of loss and sorrow.  It was agonizing to witness such pain.  He cared about them and he cares about us, too.

Even though I walk 
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; 
your rod and your staff, 
they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4

He is with us always, walking beside us and comforting us.

I think Paul had the best attitude when it came to black swans.  Listen to what Paul says in his letter to the church in Philippi:

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

Paul is writing this letter from prison and would love to just die and be done with it, but he knows that he has something to gain from this experience and something left to offer as words of hope and encouragement to those who will listen.  He understood the need to go on, if not for himself for others.  You’ve got to know that the young up-and-coming pharisee Paul would have never imagined he would go from killing Christians to being imprisoned for being the most outspoken of them all!

But Paul would not give up.

He would not let this black swan be the end.

He would not allow this black swan to be his swan song.

Let me tell you one last story to explain what I mean.  There is a young woman I know that loved to play basketball.  Not only did she love the sport, she was amazing at it.  Her future was defined by what she could do in athletics.  This would be the key to college scholarships.  Possibly she would pursue the WNBA or coaching or who knows?  However you looked at it, everything revolved around basketball.

And then her freshman year of high school the doctors told her that she had a choice.

She could play basketball now or she could walk when she was 35.

She had terrible knees and playing basketball would cripple her.  She was devastated.  How could something like this happen?  Why would this gift be taken from her?  What was she supposed to do with her life now that basketball was gone?

Her depression over this loss lasted a couple of years.  But if you talk to this high school senior today you will not find a person without hope.  You will also not find a person who’s life has anything to do with basketball either.  Because of different opportunities that opened up for her over the past few years, her heart and mind have been molded into a passion that can only be from God.  She wants to go into business and create a company that works much like Tom’s Shoes.  She wants to create a business dedicated to making a difference in the world to care for those less fortunate and hurting.

Her black swan was not her swan song.

And the world will be a better place for it.

May God bring us comfort during our times of pain and sorrow and guide us with his comforting hand through the struggles that shatter our world and change our lives forever.

And may we look to find the purpose in God’s plan, to rise from the ashes and make a difference in the world around us because of the different circumstances that surround us.