Not everybody embraces golf or quite gets how you can enjoy chasing a little white ball around, but I love it. I’m not very good, nor do I play very often, but I thoroughly enjoy it.
One of the professional golfers that I've always admired was Tiger Woods. He plays golf with an intensity and a competitive drive that translates into being one of the most successful golfers of all time. We all like to root for the underdog from time to time, but with Tiger you can’t help but admire his excellence at the game.
Recently, Tiger Woods' behavior off the golf course became public news. Last Friday he held a press conference where he publicly apologized for his actions. I immediately asked myself a few questions:
- Do I need to forgive him?
- Is he sincere in his apology?
At Fellowship Church we just concluded a series called East to West. It’s about forgiveness, and how God has forgiven us and removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.
He has removed our rebellious acts
as far away from us as the east is from the west.
In Pastor Eric Koehler’s talks, he gave us a few biblical principles to apply that answered a few of those questions for me. Tiger Woods was bold and courageous in admitting his mistakes and hurtful behavior. He prepared what he was going to say. He confessed his sin, and he asked for forgiveness.
Whether he was sincere or not, God says that we need to forgive him - turn the key and let him out of bondage. In doing so we learned what forgiveness actually will look like. It’s making a commitment that…
- I won’t bring this up to you.
- I won’t bring this up to others.
- I won’t bring this up in my own mind.
One of the things I’m learning through this series is that forgiveness is giving up my right for justice and giving God space to work. Forgiveness is trusting that God is better at this than I am.
Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written,
"I will take vengeance;
I will repay those who deserve it,"
says the Lord.
Instead, do what the Scriptures say:
"If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink,
and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you."
Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.
I’m adding forgiveness to my to do list and sharing the forgiveness that Christ gave me to others. Can you imagine if we all forgave Tiger? There would be no more news about it. Tiger Woods forgiven…check!
Gus Sareyka
Executive Pastor
