Two stories

caught my attention this week.

First, Rutgers University basketball coach Mike Rice was fired for what many, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie deemed 'unacceptable behavior'. Seems he got too tough with his players.

Then, there was Pope Francis, in St. Peter's Square, lovingly embracing a small American boy disabled by Cerebral Palsy.

How different. Maybe not.

I am reminded of the Bible scripture in Ecclesiastes 3:1..."To every thing there is  season...". Many do not know that that passage includes many words,  all worth reading, and repeating...

"1. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Coach Rice was charged with building a winning sports team. You do not accomplish that by "being nice" and calling everyone a winner. You do it by being tough and teaching your players to be tough. That means to concentrate every minute of play - striving ever to instinctively do the right thing and do it better than anyone else. So, he was tough as a boot. How did his players, the recipients of his rough treatment, feel? They had no problems with their coach, they 'understood him'. Translation: he was hell-bent on making us the best basketball team and he was succeeding. Or, "...a time to break down, and a time to build up;".

Pope Francis was showing the world that a disabled child is a most worthy human being, worthy of recognition, of compassion, of special love and tenderness. As in, "...a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;".

Do you remember General George S. Patton?  He was a warrior to the core. Patton was certainly a force in the defeat of the Axis Powers, during World War II. How many defenseless, innocent lives may have been saved by General Patton's efforts to end that war? At one point in his career, Patton visited some of his soldiers who had been wounded. One soldier apparently engaged in some whining about his condition and Patton slapped the soldier across the face. The General's way of saying, 'You are a soldier, toughen up and handle it.' Indeed, there is "...a time of war, and a time of peace."

Yes, it has been true for thousands of years and still true today. There is a time to be tender, and a time to be tough. It all depends on the task at hand. Pope Francis is a sweet, caring man, the perfect kind to lead a large religious organization. Coach Rice is a tough disciplinarian, the perfect man to lead a winning sports organization. Both are to be lauded!