Steve McQueen, born again, set free
When the king of cool met the King of kings, he fell to his knees
Steve McQueen made The Great Escape. But he was sprung by Jesus Christ who made the greatest escape. The actor just pretended to escape from a Nazi POW camp; the Savior conquered hell and death for real. And he saved Steve and me and many other sinners from the hell to come.
The King of kings provides the ultimate escape from any life of sin. Even for big-timers like Steve McQueen. I know.
I’m not famous, and I’m certainly not even a prince of cool, let alone any sort of king. But I can relate to Steve McQueen. My mom wasn’t a part-time prostitute. My dad didn’t abandon me. But I thought I could go it alone in life and didn’t need anyone.
Like him, I grew up Roman Catholic. Instead of abusive stepfathers, I had bullying brothers. Instead of a morally-loose mother, I had a love-challenged one.
My father didn’t run off or beat me. He was a good provider and tried to live right. He followed his church, but did so like most I’ve known—in his own strength and according to popes, bishops and priests—devoid of God’s amazing grace.
In Christ alone, said Martin Luther. So did the apostles. So does God. So did my dad before he died, according to my sister. In earthly terms, he was a good father. And my mom was a good mother … until she lost a child. Everything changed then.
Back to Steve McQueen and how unlike and like we are: We both joined the military after trying to figure out what else to do. He did so to stay out of trouble. I did so as a rudderless former troublemaker. We both needed it.
Steve McQueen didn’t need his asbestos exposure in the Marines, and I didn’t need some stuff I went through in the Navy. But God knows what we both needed: Salvation and love and purpose from a loving and saving Savior.
Contrary to my previous understanding, Steve McQueen was drawn by Christ months before his cancer diagnosis, according to his wife. I was drawn years before mine.
I believe her. I also believe McQueen was chosen by God to be an adopted child way, way before that moment. Eons ago. The same for me. Before God made the world and everything else, he loved us.
According to his wife, McQueen began going to church with his pilot instructor, Sammy Mason. He did so after seeing something different about him. His friend told him what it was—he was a Christian.
My younger brother noticed something different about me. He recently told me that nearly forty years ago he’d seen a “180” change in my life. My sister told me a few weeks ago that I led her to the Savior.
I was just a hungry and freshly-filled beggar leading others to bread. In Christ, I’d found the bread of life and he gave me sea legs to brave any of life’s storms.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand
Steve McQueen had it all. Fame, fortune, a fawning public. He was the King of Cool. But he was bereft of the essential: Standing, love and most importantly, a perfectly loving Father and Prince of Peace.
McQueen was likely starved with an insatiable “father hunger.” Long before his Marine service and lifelong cigarette addiction, he hungered for a loving father figure. Me too.
I know about this hunger. I also know what it is to long for a loving mother. For a lost child in a man’s body in a broken world—our hunger can never be satisfied by any earthly father and mother. It’s just too much to put on anyone.
But it’s not too much to put on Christ. He’s the King of kings and Lord of lords. Nothing and no one is too big or daunting or lost for him to conquer and save.
Steve McQueen reportedly left life with a bible given to him by Billy Graham. According to his wife, he read it daily. Why? Because he had a new heart, new affections, new loves. He knew the Savior and had been adopted by God.
No more hunger, no more fear or sin, no more abusive relationships. Just peace and mercy from the Prince of Peace. Cancer killed McQueen; Christ saved him.
“The King of Cool” is just a made-up monicker for a movie star. The King of kings is the eternal, everlasting and glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Bright and Morning Star, the Savior and Redeemer. He died for sinners like us.
Hallelujah.