Tiger is fresh on my mind because we talked about him as we looked at the Bible. When I say ‘we’ I mean my wife and my three at-home sons. As we talked I described to them that success can get us to a place of ‘believing’ our own press reports; specifically, that the rules don’t apply to us. I was encouraged to later see that Tiger had used these same words about himself. He knows he did wrong and we know he did wrong—but standards these days (amorality) really doesn’t have much of a reason as to why. The wrongness is ethical…but the stupidity is practical. It can be avoided.
So, what happens and how do we avoid falling into such a pit ourselves. Three verses come to mind (the two in proverbs we all discussed around the kitchen table).
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:7-8, ESV)
“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” (2 Corinthians 10:12, ESV)
All of these verses hit at the same thing…I kind of arrogance that contains its own death-wish, so to speak. Leaning on your own understanding, being wise in your own eyes, and using yourself as the standard of measurement…all of these are deadly.
The verses surely aren’t saying that thinking of someone as wise is a problem, rather it is when we stand back and look at our own selves with awe and wonder at our greatness (wisdom, smarts, looks, money, success, etc.). I remember a speaker one time saying that he would get up in the morning, look himself in the mirror, and declare to his own reflection, “You good lookin’ thing—don’t you ever die.” I can’t recall if it was a tip or a joke, but we all laughed.
The problem with us humans is that we lose perspective, especially when we don’t have a ‘god’ to whom we are accountable. All that is left is oneself, so we measure us by us. Soon phrases like, “I could be wrong” disappear altogether and we drift in to rank subjectivity; if we think it, it must be true.
There is a better way, including a turning away from evil. But, according to the passage above, the turn from evil is preceded by not looking at ourselves with awe. Tiger is a helpful example here, which is already redemptive if we take it to heart.
The final promise is that there is HEALTH in the future…if humility and a flight from evil are taken to heart. Acknowledging God surely begins with admitting “I am not God”— but there’s the rub. We succeed, we believe our press reports, we decided the rules don’t apply—then all that is left is collapse. This is how it goes with wisdom, this world, and a very interested God who is listening for our humble acknowledgment of Him over us.
God bless Tiger and all of us who would learn from his stumble and recovery.
Grace,
Fred Lybrand