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i watched the tiger woods press conference this morning. it was painful.
he was contrite. he was apologetic. he looked embarrassed. he seemed hurt and defensive and angry and humbled and incredibly robotic.
was he honest? he seemed to be…but he and god are the only ones to know for sure. possibly his wife, elin, too.
has he faced his demons and learned his lessons? i suppose only time will tell.
i’m not here to take my turn on the tiger woods punching bag. that line’s too long and i don’t feel inclined to join it. when i see another man shipwreck his life, my response is usually one of sorrow…for him…for those his wreck has harmed…and for those left to pick up the pieces.
but i do like to learn lessons from the mistakes of others. i like to see truth magnified, though i’ve never been a big one on needing to see justice served. here’s what i’m thinking:
sin is sin. remember what paul wrote in ephesians, from our text last sunday morning?
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2: 1-5
it’s so easy to get caught up with the disgusting, heinous sins of others. the problem is that kind of judgment always deflects the reality of our own sin away from our personal line of vision. it’s so easy to forget that we all share the same nature. it’s so easy to see ourselves as better, because our sins are not as bad as their sins.
this is dangerous territory. it’s also the very issue that pushes so many people away from christ and away from the church.
make no mistake. jesus had to die on the cross to provide the path for tiger wood’s full redemption. will he respond by faith? will he receive the gift of grace that god provides and not just pursue the grace of his fans and the media and his wife? i don’t know. but i do know this:
jesus had to die the same death on the cross to provide a path for my redemption. the same death! the penalty for my sin and the penalty for tiger’s sin are exactly the same. the cost for a new life? exactly the same.
i’m reminded of some words the master spoke a short time before his death:
“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone.”
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