Documentaries, I love them. I love how decent documentaries are the very best in true life stories. By best I mean even the best of the worst of human characteristics.
ESPN did a brilliant series of documentaries on various sports stories celebrating their 30 years in existence (30 For 30). One of them was on the issue of Marion Jones. Go Google her if you don’t know the full story. My idiot’s basic guide is that Ms Jones was a brilliant athlete who attained golds at Olympics among other things. Later it transpired that she was taking performance enhancing drugs and she had lied for a number of years denying it until she was caught and imprisoned.
What I liked abut the documentary was the talking points that emerged from it. I love watching these with my wife as we get to unpack the issues and see their relevance in our lives and relationship, etc. Cheating is not something that applies to sport, as you know. Neither is it just about sexual infidelity. Cheating is the glorification of lying.
You may never have cheated a day in your life. Congratulations. That is not my story. Part of my story has included indiscretions for which I have been held accountable and had to acknowledge my responsibility as well as endure the guilt and shame. During those times there are questions that are hard to really answer. When I say hard to answer, I mean the answers to them expose some uglier aspects to the self that are not obviously things you want to dwell on. As long as you can minimise your cheating, then it is not a big deal and not worth people getting upset about. Yet whether you cheat in a small way, or it’s taking steroids in a global sport in God’s eyes (oh remember Him) it’s a big deal. As in it causes a barrier between the two. Barriers between you and God create barriers between you and yourself let alone you and the rest of the world.
The issue between you and the rest of the world, if you’re caught, can be disastrous. You know what we’re like. Immediately we are judge, jury and executioner. How could you do that? That was awful, why did you do that to me? Why didn’t you tell me? How do you ever expect me to trust you again? As a result the two-face engagements become regular and you become a social leper.
That could be unbearable, if it were not for the deal between you and God. I am glad for a relationship with Him that is based on the vulnerability and transparency that encourages confession, repentance and redemption. It does not excuse any sin – cheating, or whatever – it just says now that you have confessed, be cleansed and get on with your life.
There is great joy in knowing that is how God is and it is incredible to see His love through people who I’ve cheated and hurt and have forgiven me and helped me to realise redemption and bear it in mind and heart. It’s especially useful when I come across those who as your KJV informs ‘trespass against me’. Rather than pointing out how much someone has cheated, I can thank God that here is someone who can be redeemed by the grace that sets me free.
That is good news.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 