Thoughts on Tiger Woods

In the past couple of weeks on at least two different occasions I sat down to write about Tiger Woods and all that has been going on since that fateful car accident Thanksgiving weekend. But in both instances, I couldn't formulate what I wanted to say and just deleted the post.

I'm not sure what I think or how I feel about this whole mess. On one hand I can't fathom how someone with so much would be so reckless in his personal life. On the other hand, I feel sorry for a guy that is facing public scrutiny in a way that only few can even begin to relate to.

Although Tiger Woods is an icon that has transcended his sport, he is also just a man with the same frailties and weaknesses that you and I possess. As more and more details have emerged during this ordeal, I truly wonder what is going through Tiger's head as he ponders his next steps and what his life is going to look like once he decides to emerge from his Windermere mansion.

On an encouraging note, I am pleased to hear that he is taking an indefinite leave from golf in order to work on his marriage and get his personal life in order. There has been much damage done to his marriage, his reputation and his marketability. In order to come out of this whole thing a better person, he needs to examine why he thought that running into the arms of women that weren't his wife would bring him life and satisfaction.

As people with a sin nature each of us are prone to run to things that won't ultimately bring us life. It could be sex. Or it could be food or alcohol or drugs or television or any other number of things that can't take the place of God. One of the pastors at my church, Dave Abney, has quoted G.K. Chesterton as saying,

"Every man who knocks on the door of a brothel is looking for God"

I wonder if Tiger did the things he did was because he needed an escape from the expectation that he needed to be perfect? It's a realization that we must all come to that we are imperfect people that live in an imperfect world. Tiger's a sinner just like I'm a sinner. I hope that somebody in his life shares with him that there is One who loves him in his imperfections and would love to help him experience true life. Perhaps you've done some pretty bad stuff, too, and realize you need some help. This might be a good first step.