Letting God Speak

      All the hoopla around the suspension of Tom Brady has been hard to avoid. I am a New England Patriots fan and the likelihood of some level of wrongdoing – especially covering up the truth – is disappointing to say the least. Whatever happened, I think the old saying applies: “Honesty is the best policy.” I wish Tom Brady the best and hope that he will handle himself in an honorable way as the story continues to unfold.

The recent judgment of the NFL against the Patriots and against Brady raises lots of questions. Many New England fans feel it is unfair. Most football fans from the rest of the country think it falls short of what he deserves and what the team deserves. The response to his cheating has been almost vitriolic. People seem very happy to point fingers at his wrongdoing. Many feel that justice has finally been served and they want Brady and the Patriots to pay severely. Such things fill newspaper columns and make for interesting conversation on ESPN and sports radio. Everybody has an opinion and strong feelings so there is a highly dramatized element to the whole story. By way of example, Mike Sielski, a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, wrote on May 13: “Boiled down, it doesn't. The pretext for this entire exercise in pedantry and self-importance is that, by having others fiddle with footballs on his behalf, Brady gained an inappropriate competitive advantage in the Patriots' 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 18. Nevertheless, the seriousness of the transgression doesn't justify the saturation coverage of the story, the hue and cry over Brady's snickering at the accusations, and the haughtiness of the NFL's investigation. (The Wells Report was 243 pages. The Gettysburg Address was 272 words. And it certainly doesn't justify so draconian a penalty, no matter how much face commissioner Roger Goodell and the league want to save after mishandling the Ray Rice spousal-abuse incident last year.”

A mentor of mine was fond of saying, “This too will pass.” He used it frequently with my friends and I as he discipled us in a high school ministry our church sponsored. He would see us get all worked up about something – what you might call getting in a “tizzy” – and we would always hear those words: “This too will pass”. And such will happen to this story, because the media is constantly on the lookout for the next big story and the masses move on as the spotlight shifts.

Whenever I observe feelings as strong as those associated with (the ones against) Brady and the Patriots, it makes me wonder why people so often have such a hard time recognizing that God has the right to be angry with sin. Every day people make judgments about the wrong that others do. Their sense of justice can result in a righteous indignation that is quite intense. If I asked an anti-Brady fan if he had the right to be angry and judgmental of Tom Brady, the answer would come back, “Of course I do!” (actually that is the polite version of the response). But how many people who practice some form of this in life (well beyond just the realm of football) would at the same time be offended when the Word of God calls something a sin. Society considers pointing out sin or pointing to a God who judges sin as one of the greatest offenses a person could commit. “How dare you suggest…”… “What gives you the right to…”… “You hypocrite…”… “Judge not…”… etc.

When they do such things, people like this are claiming a right to do something but refusing to give God the right to do the same thing, though of course only He can judge justly. Our religious culture loves to declare, “My God is a God of love… A God of love can’t possibly call what I want or what I do… wrong! He loves me just the way I am…”  But God, who is sovereign, does indeed have the right to define and declare what is right and what is wrong. Human opinion does not and cannot change or undo God’s decrees. But human humility and submission to God can lead us to experience His grace, something we so desperately need for missing the mark of His will and ways. His standards and judgments lead us away from pride to our need for Christ, in whose righteousness we have life. May we take God’s law seriously and cast ourselves on Christ, depending wholly on grace. AMEN!

Isaiah 46:9-10 (NIV) ⁹  Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. ¹⁰  I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

Psalm 19:7-11 (NIV) ⁷  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹  The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. ¹⁰  They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. ¹¹  By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

PRAYER:  God, please let me recognize as sin what you call sin and may it lead me to my desperate need for Christ. Your decrees are right and your will is perfect. Give me grace to strive after holiness in thought, word, and deed. Cleanse me, I pray. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott