Let’s face it, we all mess up, need forgiveness, and to be given a second chance. \u00a0Many times it is a third, fourth, fifth, etc. chance. \u00a0As parents we always tell our children, if you make a mistake own it, admit it, ask for forgiveness, learn from it, and move on. \u00a0Of course sometimes that is easier said than done. \u00a0One such case in point is a former football player by the name of Ray Rice. \u00a0Earlier this year Mr. Rice did something disgusting, despicable, abhorrent, and any other adjective you can think of that describes something horrible. \u00a0In case you haven’t seen it or heard about it, he punched his then fiance in an elevator and knocked her out. \u00a0It must be said that there is never a time or a reason for a man to hit a woman, even if she hit you first! \u00a0You remove yourself from the situation, you walk away, you do whatever you have to, but you never lay a hand on her. \u00a0That is man training 101. \u00a0But we all know that sometimes in the heat of the moment we say or do something that we later regret. \u00a0I don’t know Mr. Rice nor do I know his now wife. \u00a0Hopefully he regrets what he did, and not just because he lost his job and paycheck over the incident. \u00a0Hopefully he regrets it because he knows it was wrong. \u00a0To make matters worse, when the story first broke the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, handed down a rather light sentence to Mr. Rice. \u00a0Now this week the new video has surfaced and led to Mr. Rice’s contract being terminated with the Baltimore Ravens, the NFL suspending him indefinitely, and the loss of endorsement deals for Mr. Rice. \u00a0There are calls for further investigation by the police, jail time for Mr. Rice, and even for Mr. Goodell to resign as commissioner of the NFL. \u00a0I have my opinion on all of those things, but will choose not to air those opinions here. \u00a0However, I do believe this is a teachable moment, especially for the Christian community. \u00a0How should this situation be handled by those involved?<\/p>\n
First, commissioner Goodell needs to admit to making some mistakes in this case. \u00a0He has thrown out a blanket statement of “we didn’t get this right” a week or so ago. \u00a0That might be the understatement of the year. \u00a0In fact, that weak answer might even make a politician blush and giggle for its absurdity. \u00a0Mr. Goodell needs to admit and own what the league office knew and saw, and when they knew it and saw it. \u00a0I am open to the fact that maybe the NFL didn’t see this new video until recently. \u00a0Obviously the police and the district attorneys didn’t have all the evidence as they allowed him to plead down to a misdemeanor and enter anger management\/couples counseling. \u00a0But hiding behind blanket statements and not admitting specific mistakes is not confessing to wrong doing. \u00a0Confession is the first step towards repentance and ultimately towards forgiveness biblically speaking. \u00a01 John 1:9 says, “if you confess. . .”<\/p>\n
Secondly, I think we should applaud Mrs. Rice. \u00a0I don’t think I could marry someone who months earlier knocked me out cold. But she did and even this week in light of the new video, Mrs. Rice has stood by her man. \u00a0We can guess at why she is doing it and come up with theories, but the bottom line is she thus far is staying with her husband. \u00a0My prayer is that she is not putting herself in harms way. \u00a0I hope this was an ugly, one time incident. \u00a0But it is refreshing to see someone be committed to trying to make a marriage work. \u00a0Even under the best circumstances marriage is not easy. \u00a0It seems easier in today’s society to get a divorce than it is to sign up your child for a sports team (parents know what I’m talking about). \u00a0People get divorced over so many reasons today. \u00a0Yet Mrs. Rice against all odds is choosing to try to work this out with her husband. \u00a0Marriage is a sacred institution, created by God, and should be honored, defended, and only entered into with serious commitment to the phrase “till death do us part.”<\/p>\n
Finally, as Christians we need to see this as an opportunity to speak the truth of the Bible into society. \u00a0Is what Mr. Rice did deplorable? \u00a0Absolutely it is! \u00a0But then again so is any sin that any of us commit in God’s eyes. \u00a0Man may have created some artificial hierarchy of sin, but God hasn’t. \u00a0A sin is a sin is a sin in God’s eyes. \u00a0They all deserve the same punishment. \u00a0Yet in His love, God sent His Son into the world, to die for the sins of the world, that we may be forgiven and redeeemed. \u00a0That is the message that I and many others proclaim everyday. \u00a0That is the message we must preach even in this situation, redemption. \u00a0It is so easy to be judgmental, but God calls us to love and to forgive. \u00a0Just imagine if your worst moment as a human being was videoed and aired on national television, social media, and the internet for the whole world to see. \u00a0My guess is we probably wouldn’t be as hard on Mr. Rice or anyone else for that matter, because we would be so embarrassed by our own actions. \u00a0And that is what we need to remember, we have all done things that are horrible, deplorable, disgusting, and despicable, Mr. Rice’s just happened to be videoed and aired. \u00a0But make no qualms about it, our actions, our thoughts, and even our intents are known to God. \u00a0The message that must be proclaimed through this situation is simple. \u00a0Mr. Rice, Mr. Goodell, NFL, and world, redemption is available through the blood of Jesus Christ if you will confess your sin, turn from it, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
By His grace and through His strength may we live for Him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Let’s face it, we all mess up, need forgiveness, and to be given a second chance. \u00a0Many times it is a third, fourth, fifth, etc. chance. \u00a0As parents we always tell our children, if you make a mistake own it, … Read More