Over the last two weeks we have witnessed the decimation of an American icon. There are so many conversations swirling regarding the personal failings of Tiger Woods.
- Is Tiger guilty of all the infidelity he’s been accused of?
- Is Tiger addicted to pain killers and/or sleep meds?
- Should Tiger’s wife leave him?
- Should Tiger be given complete privacy to work out his issues?
- Is Tiger’s career as a golfer over?
But I have been thinking about a different conversation, it’s the one I think we should all be thinking about. What conversation would Jesus have with Tiger, or with any of us for that matter.
In the scriptures we can see three primary groups of people that Jesus addressed.
- The Disciples - these were the devoted, though often confused and misdirected, followers of Christ. They did not represent the wealthy, the religious or the political elite. Jesus words to this group were mostlyinstructional and preparatory. Often with the tone of a father, Jesus wouldcorrect this bunch of their misperceptions and wrong-headed thinking. In the end, most of these guys died for believing in and following Jesus.
- The Hard-Hearted - usually represented by the religious, political and cultural “elite”. Jesus heart broke for this group, his words to them were stern and extremely pointed. He exposed their self-righteous hypocrisy through parables that pinned them as the antagonist. Jesus rhetorical genius could cut straight to their hearts with surgical accuracy. Oftentimes though, the pride that enveloped their hearts like a thick crust would prohibit them from acknowledging and turning from their narcissistic and self-serving ways. Occasionally however, there would be one who would break, whose heart would turn, and in response they would pour their life out as an offering to the King.
- The Sinner - certainly a group that in the broadest since of the term includes all people. But these folks, the ones referred to officially as “sinners”. These are represented by people who have been “caught” in the act. Adulterers, prostitutes and thieves. A woman about to be killed for sleeping with a married man, a woman who had been with multiple men and had a mixed up view of God, a “sinful” woman who wept and washed Jesus feet as an act of worship. In Jesus’ culture, the sick and the poor were also viewed as sinful, it was their sin after all, that got them into their situation. And what were Jesus’ words to this group?
You see, when Jesus meets the “sinner” in each of us, he speaks healing and restoration. Each of the people labeled as sinners in the bible came to recognize their need for healing and forgiveness.
Honestly, I don’t know which of these categories Tiger Woods would fall into today. What I do know is that the progression God wishes for all of us is to move from being hard-hearted to a “sinner” who recognizes our sin and need for mercy, to a disciple who points people to the mercy and love of God.
So, which group are you in today? What would Jesus’ words to you be today?
