The Greatest Show

The Bible presents a stark contrast between the temporal and the eternal, and we read in 2nd Corinthians 4:
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The Bible is clear: for the believer in Christ, this world is not our home.  We know that this world is passing away, and we will be living forever in a another world that is far more glorious than the one we inhabit.  We have already been declared citizens of that world, and aliens and strangers in this one. When we become discouraged, we can remember that one day, the cares of this world will be eliminated, and we will live in the glory of eternity, with our Lord face-to-face.

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The apostle Paul recognized that his life was coming to an end, and in 2nd Timothy 4, he offered this
perspective:
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

It was the last time - after 146 years of providing engaging family entertainment, the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus had its last performance last night outside of New York City.  A USA Today report says that the circus "traces its lineage back to showman P.T. Barnum’s traveling museum in the 1800s."

The story says that:

The move came as circuses and animal-performance shows across the country have struggled with declining attendance, shrinking attention spans and shifting social pressure brought to bear by activists who have argued the animals are sometimes poorly treated.

After the elephants were removed from the shows last year, ticket sales declined sharply.  And even though the circus won a judgment of over $15 million dollars in a lawsuit against it filed by animal rights activists, apparently the activists are taking a victory lap.

At last night's performance, according to the article, Alexander Lacey, the big-cat trainer said, "It’s so important that you carry on supporting all those people that do dedicate their lives to these animals. Support good, well-run circuses. Support good, well-run zoos. Support good, well-run public parks that look after these animals.”

Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, which has owned the circus since 1967, also addressed the crowd last night. The USA Today story referred to an earlier interview, in which he had said: “The competitor in many ways is time,” adding, “It’s a different model that we can’t see how it works in today’s world to justify and maintain an affordable ticket price. So you’ve got all these things working against it.”

The article notes that the circus shows had "lost their appeal toward the end of the 20th century," according to Feld, and notes, "When the Feld family first acquired the circus, the show was just under 3 hours. At the end, the show was 2 hours and 7 minutes. The longest segment — a tiger act — clocked in at 12 minutes."

The ending of this American institution brings a touch of sadness, I would imagine, for many.  And, this gives us the occasion to consider a few things:

One is the contrast between the temporary and permanent.  This circus lasted 146 years - that's really amazing.  But, it came to an end - changes in cultural attitudes, economics, human attention spans - all contributing to the decline.  And, we have to be willing to accept the changes that come into our lives, and recognize that God has His hand in the changing.  We also recognize that all that is in this world is temporary.  We are to fix our eyes, according to the Scriptures, on what is eternal, permanent, unshakeable - we will be spending eternity in a permanent place that will never pass away with a Lord that will never leave us.

Also, I think that there are extremes embraced by animal rights organizations and environmentalists do not reflect the Biblical perspective of creation care. We have been placed on an earth created by God, and humanity is placed on this earth in order to be responsible caretakers. The way we relate to animals is certainly a component of that, and we should uphold the highest possible standards in our care of them.

Finally, this whole business of human attention spans is certainly worth noting.  We have been programmed in this culture, I believe, to consume and appreciate the short, the instant-gratifying.  To keep and hold someone's attention these days is a greater challenge, it seems, because there is so much competition for that attention.  The circus experienced that, and it has become a challenge for the church, as well.  We have to recognize that while our message has not changed, the methodology of delivering it may need to adapt.