Friday, December 11, 2009

TIGER WOODS AND THE GOSPEL

Tiger Woods has taken the spotlight in the news for the last few weeks. The most recognisable sports figure in the world has fallen from the graces of his sponsors and his fans. He has been judged, ridiculed, condemned and crucified by the media and some individuals as well. True, he has been found out to be a wandering package of hormones looking for release outside of his God provided wife. He apparently is guilty of all charges. Now how do you look at Tiger Woods?

Some look at him with envy wishing that they could with his money do the exact thing he did yet without being caught. Some look at him condemning him for his very human and base actions. Some look at him with jealousy knowing that they could never have garnered the ability to have that many beautiful women in their life. Some point fingers at Tiger with a feeling of letdown. Whatever your emotions are towards Mr. Tiger Woods, let us remember that he is a man. He has feet of clay. He has human nature and a good dose of it like so many of us have. According to God's law of love, he sinned. He IS guilty.

Jesus ran into this same situation in John chapter 8 when he was faced with a woman who was an adulteress and fornicator and sinner. Jesus had any number of men around her that judged, condemned her, and "sentenced" her. Jesus just knelt down in the dirt and wrote on the ground, apparently the sins of those men, and then looked up at her with all of her accusers gone and said, " Woman, I do not condemn you, go and sin no more." Jesus is all about second chances. All about forgiveness even if the second chances take the form of 70 times 70 . They are all forgiven and another chance is held out. Perpetually. Forgiveness is a permanent thing with Jesus. He died for all of our sins and weaknesses including Tiger Woods'.

Being a man, I can understand Tiger's raging hormone battle and desire for fruit on other pastures. That doesn't make it right, but then again I do understand.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit accept all us where we are at all times. They do not always APPROVE of all that we do. But, in Jesus with all sin forgiven we all stand holy in God's presence through the great work and life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, our SAVIOUR.

Tiger was loved, adopted, and included in the life of God from before the foundation of the world. Eph. 1:3-14. God will always love him and desire to live forever with him. Tiger just needs to come to the point where he believes this and accepts it.

How Tiger and God work things out is their business. All we need do is pray for him and his family.

God bless,

Paul

1 comment:

Unknown said...

A great post Paul, Would be a great post to actually send to Tiger. It is very positive and I am sure that the very Spirit of God in him would resonate with what you have said. John