Would You Still Do It?

September is the beginning of a lot of things: new school year, new church year (for some churches), beginning of fall, the start of the NFL season, and the beginning of Fall Television (new seasons and new shows).

Every year there is a new, highly anticipated television series that a network hopes will bring home the bacon via high ratings. Most of the new shows flounder (such as one of my favorites that only got one season - "Kings"). This September is no different, with a slew of new shows slated to begin in the next couple weeks. One show in particular that has caught my eye is a new one on ABC called Flashforward.

In the show, the world blacks out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds and when they come to many (or all?) got a glimpse of their future and are trying to figure out (1) how their lives got to that point, (2) what caused the blackout. One part in the preview that caught my attention was a woman saying she saw herself with another man, who was not her husband. Watch the preview:



The idea, the suspense, the plot and characters have me intrigued, but the very brief scene with the woman has my mind racing... would we, if could see the consequences of our choices (or evaluate them in light of present joy or standards), would we still follow through with it? Would we, like the woman, be brokenhearted (even before it happens)? Would we work to prevent it from happening?

As my mind stirs about this, Paul's struggle with his sin and his love for God are in the back of my mind. In particular, the part where he says "when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong" (read about his struggle in Romans 7:14-25). Or the part in Corinthians where Paul reminds believers that we have a choice in pursuing our sinful desires or running from them and toward God (1 Cor. 10:13).

I have no idea what the series has in store or whether or not it is going to be a good piece to discuss sin and consequences, but thus far it certainly catches my attention.

PARENTS: Shows like this that portray sin and consequences are GREAT opportunities to discuss the power of our choices. It is a prime opportunity to discuss choices and their consequences from Scripture (both good and bad): Adam and Eve, Joseph and Potipher's wife, David and Bathsheba, King Asa, Ecclesiastes (Solomon lamenting "chasing the wind"), Peter denying Christ, temptation gives birth to sin which eventually gives birth to death (costs more than we bargained for - James 1:14-15), etc.

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Lakers Win, LA Loses

Shaq tweets. The Magic crumble. Kobe proved all the skeptics wrong.

These were a few of the highlights of the series known as the NBA Finals. I am not an NBA fan (though if I were to choose a team to root for it would either be the Suns or the Celtics) and could really care less who actually won the series. To be honest, I'm just happy the NBA and NHL seasons are over! Now ESPN and other sports entities can focus on the two best sports on the planet: baseball and the quickly coming football season!

Regardless of my feelings on NBA Basketball I think the fans' reaction/celebration was deplorable! See the pics: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1193086/Fans-riot-streets-LA-Lakers-win-NBA-title.html?ITO=1490

A riot?!?! I know it is not the first time (and unfortunately won't be the last), but I truly do not understand how any conscious-minded human could find it celebratory or joyous to wreck an innocent city, an innocent party's property, waste tax payer money or participate in any activity to "celebrate" that ends up injuring police officers. Even sadder, yet, is the fact that California is crumbling financially and they now have to clean up the carnage of a supposed celebration. Over a game? An eternally meaningless game? Sure it's great that your favorite team won, but in the grand scheme of things it is just a game. So who really won? No one... not the Lakers, not the fans, not California and certainly not LA.

This sort of reaction only demonstrates further the absolute joke that is "Sports." People in Europe and around the world are trampled to death during soccer games? An American sports team wins a championship and the city erupts into a riot? How do we as humans (or Believers, for that matter) make sense of that, stand for it or, worse yet, participate in it?

This is not a Lakers problem, NBA problem, MLB or any other sports league problem. It is a human being problem. A common sense (or lack there of) problem.

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Image credit: Associated Press
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Should Michael Vick Play Pro Football Again?

In May former Atlanta Falcon Quarterback Michael Vick is being released from prison and will serve out the remainder of his 23 month sentence on home arrest. He is currently suspended from the NFL (though the Commissioner Roger Goodell said he will review his case after his release) and will begin a construction job sometime in the next month or so. Now that he is close to being released, talk has begun as to whether or not Mike Vick should be able to play pro football again.

To answer the question honestly, I have no idea. I’m torn. Playing professional football is a privilege and whether Charles Barkley, Britney Spears or any other American likes it, pro athletes and celebrities are role models.

Side Note on the Role Model Conversation (to “not-a-role model” celebrities): You don’t want to be a role model? Then don’t be on television, the big screen or in music. Don’t sell your name as a brand (to include putting it on a jersey so that kids and adults can wear it on their backs). Yes… you did not ask to be a role model, but I also don’t remember anyone asking if they cared that you didn’t want to be a role model. Any time someone is in a position of authority or fame it puts them in the role model category. Kids want to be Derek Jeter. Kids want to be Kobe Bryant. Kids “want to be like Mike.” So whether they like it or not, kids are WATCHING! If they weren’t watching them, said celebrities would be “that dude Chuck who has mad skills on the court at the YMCA, yo!” or “that sweet girl in church, Britney, who sounds so good singing in the choir!”. So, to the not-a-role model celebrities, stop whining about your pay day, play the game and live in a manner that’s honorable. Whether you like it or not, you are accountable to your fans (aka – the people who pay your salary). I digress…

As I was saying… playing football is a privilege. Playing in front of a national audience and having your name chanted and worn by fans is an honor. Getting paid obscene amounts of money to play a game (or sing a song, or make a movie, etc.) to entertain the masses is a blessing.

What did Mike Vick do with that blessing? He blew his money (as well as used it for wicked causes). He used his name loosely and now it has little to no value. He took his talent and sacrificed it in the name of “fun”. In short… he blew his blessing and left in the wake of his poor decisions are his teammates, the Falcon fans, his family, his career and starry-eyed little kids.

SHOULD HE PLAY AGAIN, THOUGH?

I’m torn. Yes, he blew it; however, he also paid his debt. The last time I checked America was the land of the Underdog (we, as a nation, were the underdog at one point in history). Better yet, GOD is the God of second chances. If Mike Vick truly is sorry, has repented (which I have no clue if he has), is working to fix the issues then why not grant him a second chance? (I ask theoretically, as I am still working this out myself since I don't know where he really is in this growth process.)

I understand the role model aspect of the game, and that he would be getting a second chance at what many consider a lottery of sorts (“he had his million dollar ticket and blew it, why should he get another?”); however, for Christians weighing this question themselves… when does Grace play a part of our decisions? We are all products of second chances. As for the role model conversation - how sweet a lesson is it to not only talk about Grace but actually model it? To be a living example of what it looks like to covet and desire sin, to reap its consequences, to be forgiven and to be used again, but this time for good.

People who have experienced Grace, changed and grown as a person are exactly the sort of examples we want before us (those who are repentant and changed from their experiences). The drug addict who lost it all only to reclaim his life, sober. The crumbling marriage (due to any number of sin issues) that truly forgives one another and works toward reconciliation. The prostitute who sold all that she was for profit and lost her identity, safety, purity and soul in the process, but experiences the loving kindness of the Savior and now seeks to help other working prostitutes off the street. These are but a few examples of people we would willingly welcome to our churches to share their stories of how God changed them and used them for His purposes later.

Or how about Paul, the woman at the well (John 4), Rahab the Prostitute, Abraham, Moses, and Jacob? They are but a few Biblical examples of people who God used in mighty ways, for His purposes, despite their sin.

I’m not saying that’s what God is doing with Michael Vick. What I am saying is that we are so quick to say “he blew it” and blind to how many times we have too.

What do you think?

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