What’s Wrong with Sinatra?

Don’t worry–this post really isn’t about giving up listening to all Frank Sinatra songs.  We love Frank Sinatra.  It is about faithful leaders giving up leading their organizations according to the lyrics of one particular song (probably his most famous one).    You’ve probably guessed it–“My Way”.

It is certainly not an original thought that the lyrics of “My Way” are exactly how people who profess a Biblical faith should NOT be living their lives.  For example, an internet search of “My Way” and “Bible” or “My Way” and “Christianity” yields numerous articles, blog posts and sermons about why the song runs counter to Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities.

There have even been songs written that borrowed the tune (which Paul Anka actually borrowed from a French song “Comme D’Habitude”) but substituted lyrics that align with the teachings of Scripture.  Here are two:

A song By Noel McAuley

“I Did It God’s Way” by LL Duckwood

The clear message of the Bible is that God calls those created in His image to live “His Way”.

You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God.You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:4-5)

Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you. (Jeremiah 7:23)

Even Jesus never lived according to the message of “My Way”.  He followed the Father–doing it “His Way”.

Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. (John 5:19)

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. (John 14:10b)

I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. (John 5:30)

Why During Lent?

Our message throughout the last 266 posts is that faithful leaders should give up living the message of “My Way” because it represents business as usual–business in the way of the kingdom of the world.  But why should faithful leaders “give up Sinatra” during Lent?

First of all, Lent is the perfect time to give up Sinatra–business as usual–because Lent is right now.   There is a saying we like (of unknown origin) that “The best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago . . . The second best time is today.”  Lent is today. In the words of Rick Warren:

When the Creator of the universe tells you to do something, he expects you to do it—now.  Every parent knows delayed obedience is disobedience.“

Lent is also the perfect time to give up business as usual because of what Lent represents.  It is a time of repentance.  Repentance requires humbly acknowledging where we are not living in alignment with God’s design and then committing to re-align.  Business as usual is not in alignment with God’s design for work or business.

Lent is also a time when many Christians “fast”–giving up something for 40 days to honor and imitate the 40 days that Jesus fasted in the desert.  Pope Francis has a beautiful explanation of fasting:

Fasting involves being freed from all that weighs us down . . . in order to open the doors of our hearts to the One who comes to us, poor in all things, yet “full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14): the Son of God our Saviour.

We explained how business as usual “weighs us down” in post #164 (The Brokenness of “Business as Usual”). Business as usual is broken because it reflects a broken world.  It results in brokenness of work, workplaces and workers–its brokenness is breaking us.

It has led to our relationship to work and our relationships surrounding work bearing little resemblance to God’s design for humanity and work in Genesis. Sadly, business as usual creates work cultures and environments that, more often than not, leave people feeling disengaged and disconnected from an activity meant to bring fulfillment and flourishing.

Imitating Jesus’s 40 days in the desert should also mean turning from the temptations Satan threw at him–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life talked about in 1 John 2:16.  These are the ways of the kingdom of the world, just like business as usual.

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

If Lent is about imitating Jesus, then it should be a time to imitate His rejection of “My Way” and His obedience in doing things the Father’s way–“His Way”.  That is the choice facing every faithful leader this Lent.

But what does it mean to give up business as usual?

Giving Up Sinatra

“Give Up Sinatra” is about a choice, and it is a choice every faithful leader must face.  We have devoted several posts to this choice (e.g., post #157-The Choice), and it is a thread running through every post.

The choice is between business as usual (business in “the way of the world” or, more precisely, according to “the kingdom of this world”) and what we call business a better way (business according to Biblical beliefs, principles, and priorities in alignment with the Kingdom of God).

Business as usual is Sinatra–“My Way”.  Business a better way is “His Way”–the way of leading with faithful integrity in alignment with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities toward Biblical flourishing.

Every faithful leader must ultimately choose between these kingdoms.

Business as usual is everywhere. It is:

• Business as taught in business schools and management training programs.

• Business as rewarded by management, Boards, and stockholders.

• Business as demanded by investors, fund managers, and stock analysts.

• Business as described by Milton Friedman in 1970 when he famously wrote “There is one and only one social responsibility of business — to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits.”

There are several key attributes of business as usual that set it at odds with God’s Kingdom (such as assumptions of scarcity and self-interest and “can we” ethics rather than ‘should we’ ethics), but the most important is its heart—its essential WHY — the ultimate purpose that drives the behavior of its participants. With business as usual the WHY of the business is about maximizing profit.

Business a better way requires prioritizing the maximization of Biblical flourishing toward the bigger WHYs of Humanizing People, Beautifying the World and Glorifying God.

To be clear, profit is a very necessary part of Kingdom business. As stewards of an organization that belongs to God (He owns everything), its leaders have a responsibility to keep the organization viable so that it can pursue its Kingdom purpose(s) long-term and at scale.  Moreover, prioritizing the maximization of Biblical flourishing also includes the flourishing of those who have provided capital to the organization to ensure they remain good stewards of the capital God has entrusted to them.

Business a better way requires changing the heart of the organization by putting profit in its proper place as a means rather than an ultimate purpose.

The Bible is crystal clear about how God prioritizes people vs. profit. Jesus sums up all the commandments as love God and love your neighbor. 1 Timothy 6:10 tells us that the love of money (not money) is the root of evil.

The Bible also makes very clear that faithful leaders may be “in” the kingdom of the world, but they are not to pursue what the world values or be “of” the kingdom of the world.  They are only to be “of” the Kingdom of God pursuing only what God values.

You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you. (Deuteronomy 6:14)

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits[a] of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)

For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15)

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (John 17:16)

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15-19)

With business a better way, the WHY of the business is about the flourishing of God’s creation, particularly people. We believe business a better way is the way God means business to function in His Kingdom.

Done rightly, business allows us to create the solutions to the material challenges of human life, and the economic prosperity that makes those solutions affordable and accessible in a way that cares for all creation. It also offers jobs–vehicles for people to flourish and fulfill their humanity and purpose by living out Imago Dei, the Creation Mandate and the commandments to love God and love each other through service.  By operating “His Way”, business helps people live “His Way”.

Lent is just the excuse to repent and start today, but then “His Way” should be how faithful leaders lead forever.

PERSONAL NOTE (from PM):  I have to confess that “My Way” was one of my favorite songs growing up.  It was THE song I would select in a karaoke bar (not that I have been to many karaoke bars).  I spent the first 42 years of my life convinced “My Way” was the noble and courageous way to live life.  It was working really well, until it wasn’t.  That’s when I started repenting.  (I will be sure to let you know if I reach the point where repentance is no longer needed.)

My other favorite song was “Impossible Dream” from the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha, and my favorite poem was “If” by Rudyard Kipling.  I now see what Kipling offers for following his advice:  “Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it.”  Sounds like another Lenten fast is in order.

ESSENCE: Fasting is one common Lenten practice, and Pope Francis has written “Fasting involves being freed from all that weighs us down.” “Give Up Sinatra” is about faithful leaders (and the employees they steward) being freed forever from the burdens and brokenness of business in accordance with the lyrics of Sinatra’s famous song “My Way”.  “Give Up Sinatra” is about a choice, and it is a choice every faithful leader must face.  The choice is between business as usual (business in “the way of the world” or, more precisely, according to “the kingdom of this world”) and what we call business a better way (business according to Biblical beliefs, principles, and priorities in alignment with the Kingdom of God). Business as usual is Sinatra–“My Way”.  Business a better way is “His Way”–the way of leading with faithful integrity in alignment with Biblical beliefs, principles and priorities toward Biblical flourishing. The clear message of the Bible is that God calls those created in His image to live “His Way”. Lent is just the excuse to repent and start today, but then “His Way” should be how faithful leaders lead forever.

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Photo Credit: Original image by Ethan Rougon on Unsplash
(photo cropped)