Remember the scene? Levi, a notorious tax swindler (a sinner) who had just recently begun following Jesus, was hosting a reception in his home in honor of the Master. Among his guests were fellow tax collectors, also well known for their dastardly extortion. The ever-present, self- righteous clergymen “complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples about him eating with such notorious sinners.”1 Jesus overheard them and stepped in: “It is the sick who need a doctor, not those in good health. My purpose is to invite sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think themselves already good enough.”2

The media is ablaze these days touting the admitted “transgressions”3 of another clearly notorious sinner - Tiger Woods. For the unsuspecting, news of it struck like a thunderbolt. Were we to sample man-on-the-street attitudes we would likely hear such things as:

“Nuts, I want my heroes untarnished. Tiger let me down.”

“What a dork! Look at all the endorsement money he will lose. He should have been more discreet
with his sleeping around.”

“Think of his wife and those darling children; they really got dumped on.”

“That dirty _ _ _. I wish he’d bled to death. It would have served him right. I hope she takes him for
every Nickel.”

But when all is said and done, in our heart of hearts, do we really wish the worse for the man? Would we really just as soon see him condemned to hell and left there? I don’t think so. I, for one, would not want even some of my private thoughts from yesterday projected on the overhead screen for fellow parishioners to view in church next Sunday. How about you?

So, are we excusing Tiger for his deplorable behavior? Hardly; it is indeed shameful. Do we merely wink at sin, assigning it to the “boys will be boys” bin? Certainly not.

But, as long as we’re sampling attitudes on the subject, we may wish to interview Jesus to get his thoughts. He may say something like this: “A while back a bunch of these same ‘holy men’ dragged a woman into my presence. They had been spying on her and were licking their chops, having caught her in a situation similar to Tiger’s. I reminded them that in God’s eyes that if any of them had ever looked at a woman lustfully, for all intents and purposes they had already committed adultery with her in his heart. I said to them, ‘whoever among you has never sinned in this way, go ahead, throw the first stone at her.’ Not a single stone was thrown.”

“Tiger, you ask?” continues Jesus, “I’d love to hear his confession, grant him forgiveness and redeem him. I died to pay the penalty of his sin too, you know.”

If you’re so inclined, I invite you to join me in offering a prayer on behalf of Tiger and his family. I know he highly regards Steve Stricker, fellow tour player and forthright professing believer. I pray that Tiger will seek counsel from the likes of Stricker, Zac Johnson, or a Tom Lehmann in this his moment of need.

Cordially,

Ray Seaver



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1 Luke 5:30b (The Living Bible – Paraphrased – 2007) Tyndale House Publishers
2 Luke 5:31-32 (The living Bible – Paraphrased – 2007) Tyndale House Publishers
3 Tiger Woods’ characterization of his acknowledged infidelity