Mark Katrick faith column: What Kenny Rogers can teach us on this first weekend of 2024

Two recurring New Year’s resolutions of mine are to listen even better (as a spiritual guide) and to open up more with my thoughts and feelings — let my hair down — (as a pastor). Hold these thoughts, while I digress.

Do y’all remember Kenny Rogers? Sure you do!

You remember the man and his music as you’re playing poker and, “Know when to hold ’em and fold ’em.” You remember the gray-haired and bearded one, when you’re changing a tire and singing a parody, “You picked a bad time to leave me loose wheel (Lucille).”

Surely you remember him when you’re celebrating committed love with the one in the car seat next to you while the radio is playing, “She (he) believes in me.” And you remember him as you’re down on one knee serenading the one who, “decorated (your) life.”

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Yet you may not be as likely to remember a younger version of Kenny Rogers with the First Edition as he sang out these song lyrics with great passion and conviction:

“Tell it all brother, before we fall/ Tell it all brothers and sisters/ Tell it all.”

I remember. The calendar turned from 1970 to 1971. I was in my senior year in high school, at a time of disruption, division and social unrest. And Rogers’ response was a plea for authenticity (keeping it real) and a rejection of superficiality and deceit (distorting the truth).

This brings to mind not one but two old sayings: The first is, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” And the second is, “What goes around, comes around.”

Here we are, over a half century later, as disrupted, divided and restless as ever. And if Rogers, whose concert venues are now in heaven, were still here with us on earth, he’d be offering the same message as when, “Tell it All Brother” was first recorded.

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“Don’t plant your feet on higher ground to set yourself above others.” “Don’t put others down to make yourself feel strong. Lift them up instead.” “Don’t hold back. Give it your all.” And “don’t be ‘feeble’ about taking it to God in prayer.”

What can make things better in the here and now is what made things better back then: An open heart and mind with a willingness to listen, then listen some more, then share your thoughts and feelings (let your hair down). What better time to better understand each other and find common ground then on this first weekend of 2024, while we’re writing down final drafts of our resolutions.

“Tomorrow just might be too late,” sings Rogers to close. “Now is the time to get our jumbled minds straight.” It all begins with a heart to hear, with a willingness to share. Then you put on an attitude of peace, forgiveness and reconciliation. And then you take a deep breath and let the Holy Spirit go to work.

Mark Katrick is a pastor and spiritual guide.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Mark Katrick faith column: A lesson from Kenny Rogers to ring in 2024