I saw a remarkable graph the other day.  Last Friday was the day Tiger Woods spoke publically about his marital infidelity for the first time.  This story has consumed a great deal of gossip news time for three months and, at last, he was saying something.  (Note:  See my previous post entitled “When grace meets disgrace.” on this subject.)  In any event, the graph I saw was of the activity on the New York Stock Exchange, the running day-long, minute-by-minute, tally of how many shares are being traded.  At exactly the minute Tiger Woods started to speak, share trading plummeted.  At exactly the minute he ceased speaking it rocketed back up. 

Later I heard that activity on web sites that carried his speaking live showed similar surges as workers in offices across the country stopped work to see what he had to say.  Clearly a good portion of the American public was very interested to see what he had to say.  (All those who are feeling pretty smug right now that you didn’t stop what you were doing, please raise your hands.)  In summary, he took personal responsibility for his actions, did not make excuses, and pledged to do better.  He made a reference to his Buddhist faith as something he would lean on for this renewed effort.

When the speech was over, as is common in our world, the commentary began.  Peggy and I did some channel flipping of those covering the story and they were all filled with analysis by various “experts.”  The vast majority of those comments can be characterized as not believing him.  Some were quite caustic in their denunciation and it is clear this once-admired man is now widely despised.  He has nobody but himself to blame of course, but it was still amazing to hear and read the negative attitudes.

So how did Christians respond?  After some research I’ve found several Christian leaders commented on this matter and for many the response was the same as the secular folks.  Some were rather put off by the reference to Buddhism.  Most joined the secular chorus predicting the failure of his efforts at doing better.  And anyone who has read Romans 7 can see that Paul would agree there is no escape from our sins in simply trying to do better. 

But it seems to me that predictions of what is going to happen next in Wood’s life miss the point.  My question is this…how would Paul express his opinions and how should we do so?  For those mired in the results of sin and disgrace, how we approach them is the more important issue.  And while I have no expectations of conversations with Tiger Woods, it is certain I will have them with people who have stumbled and sinned.  Does Paul give us any clues on how to go about it?  I think he does.

Let me start by saying that what Woods did was correct.  He admitted his actions, acknowledged their impact and did not justify, minimize or excuse them.  And he asked to be forgiven.  Most people, including most Christians, seem to feel that forgiving someone requires us to act as if nothing was ever wrong and to pick up life as if the sin never happened.  This is simply not true.  All actions have consequences and people have a right to protect themselves from hurt.  My forgiveness of a man who stole from me does not require me to let him carry my wallet.  It does require me to desire a renewed relationship where he could carry it.  So, back to Paul, what does he have to say?

Buried in the great poetry of I Corinthians 13 is some sound theology that applies.  In verse 7 he says “[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  I see this as progressive.  Using Woods as an example but generalizing it to all who wound us we start by bearing, or simply carrying through the grace of God the hurt and not hurting in return. 

We then go to believing.  This means accepting the apologetic statements Woods made as true to his desires.  For those seeking to apologize and do better, believing they mean it is an important encouragement.

The next step is hoping. We don’t have God’s insight into the hearts of others or the future so we hope, or root for, the restitution to go well.  It conveys a desire, or a cheering on, of the stumbling sinner.  This can add a great deal to the person needing to do the hard work of repairing sin damage.

Finally there is enduring.  Nobody knows what will happen next with Woods, notwithstanding the plethora of those who confidently predicted his future.  But when I forgive, I commit to enduring that future, whatever it may be.  Please note again, I have a right to take steps to protect myself, enduring does not turn us into patsies.  But enduring does convey a willingness to risk failure as a price of seeking success.

So what about Tiger?  I think as Christians we are between steps two and three.  I believe that he wants to do as he said, and I hope he can.  As a Christian I am also free to hope that something in this disgrace opens his heart to the need of a savior.