Michael Jackson, me, and the meaning of life

The news of the death of Michael Jackson has reminded me of the January day in 1993 when for the first and only time our paths crossed. Margaret and I had an 8 hour lay-over at Narita Airport in Tokyo on our way to New Zealand where I was speaking at a Youth event. Eight hours is a very long time to kill, so after I'd drunk my coffee and read my book I went wandering round the airport to see if I could find anything interesting.

That's when I came on an enormous crowd of people and an excited buzz of conversation - all in Japanese, of course, which meant I couldn't understand a word of what was being said. But it looked too interesting to miss, so I took a chance on an official looking person wearing some kind of uniform and asked him what was happening. Fortunately he spoke enough English to understand me and quickly informed me that Michael Jackson had just landed and was about to pass through that part of the airport.

Now one of the really good things about being in Japan was that, for the first time in my life, I was above average height. So I made use of my height and weight advantage and pushed my way to the front of the crowd just in time to see Jacko pass in front of me surrounded by half a dozen minders. The whole thing lasted about thirty seconds and then he was gone. We've never met since!

But here's the thing that's set me thinking today. Here in Britain - and I guess it's been the same around the world - his death has had an enormous impact. Serious news programmes are not only making his passing their headline story, they're also devoting the greater part of their scheduling to an analysis of the man and his music. Even more significant in many ways is the outpouring of grief from thousands of people, the vast majority of whom have never had the opportunity I had to see him in the flesh. The latest BBC news programme I watched less than an hour ago was suggesting that his passing has had a greater impact even than that of Princess Diana!

And I can't help asking 'Why?' Why has this enormously talented but deeply troubled and confused human being had such an effect on the lives of so many. No doubt much of it is due to the fact that his music has been the sound track to the lives of an entire generation of people. But there's more to it than that I suspect. Here is a man who has not only spent millions of dollars on empty trivia but whose reputation has been sullied by accusations of child abuse which he was never able to shake off. And yet he is admired and even loved by millions.

It is 'way too soon for anyone to make a full assessment of his life and legacy. But I wonder how much of the grief that is being felt relates to the fact that for his entire life Michael Jackson remained a vulnerable child. There's something terribly poignant about those early clips of his singing with the Jackson Five, something very moving about the images of a sweet little kid dancing and singing with an abandon that still touches the heart. And there's something deeply disturbing about those stories of his Dad who never told young Michael that he loved him, who pushed him mercilessly, and who told him he was ugly.

Maybe, just maybe, there's a lesson to be learnt here. We're all vulnerable little kids really. We all need to be loved and encouraged and hugged. Which is probably why Jesus always spoke of God as his Father and insisted that the secret of success in his Kingdom is to become like a little child again. Maybe,just maybe, the talented, flawed, disturbed Michael Jackson can help us to rediscover the meaning of life. And, if the gospel is true, it's not too much to hope that, at the last, he too has discovered that secret for himself.

Chick Yuill
In October 2006 Chick relinquished his position as the denominational leader for The Salvation Army in Greater Manchester and now devotes himself fully to reflecting, speaking and writing on issues relating to what it means to be authentic followers of Jesus in the 21st Century. As part of this ministry in the wider church, he gives two days each week to fulfil the duties of chairman for HOPE in Greater Manchester an initiative that seeks to encourage churches to work together to share the good news of the Christian gospel in word and deed in a way that will not only bring individuals to faith but will also impact and transform surrounding communities.