The Caddie

             In June of 2000, Tiger Woods was in his prime. On June 17, he won the U.S. Open, destroying the field by fifteen strokes at the historic Pebble Beach course in California. 

             Four days later, Tiger Woods became a caddie.

            Jerry Chang, Tiger Wood’s old Stanford roommate, was seeking to qualify for the US Amateur Public Links Championship at the Black Mountain Golf and Country Club in Henderson, Nevada. By 6:00 AM that Thursday morning, Tiger Woods was on the course. He caddied two, eighteen hole rounds for Chang, weathering the 100+ degree desert sun.

            While Woods failed to help Chang qualify for the championship, he did demonstrate his willingness to be there for his friend. In the ensuing years, Tiger Woods has not always made wise decisions. But I appreciate his decision that day.

            “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Prov. 17:17.) ESV

The "Ugly" Truth

I hope Tiger Woods is being honest; I really do. I want to see him save his marriage and his family. I want to see him become a better person. Of course, I would really like to see him become a Christian.

If he is being truthful, Tiger appears to be cultivating a self-concept that unfortunately many Christians do not. One evidence of this is a remark Tiger made last week, “You start coming to the truth of who you really are and that can be very ugly.” Indeed, it can. That is why so many do not want to go there.

The Bible repeatedly makes clear that we are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God. It also makes clear the fact that envy, pride, jealousy, bitterness, greed, and other sins of the heart are anathema to God. Still, we want to avoid seeing ourselves as we really are because it is painful.

The irony is that, often, it is those like Woods (whose overt behavior is so ugly it draws public scorn) who ultimately find healing. The road to healing for anyone begins with the act of seeing ourselves as we really are. This we wish to avoid. The more covert our sin, the more we avoid facing our real selves.

We refuse to face our true inward selves at our own peril. When we blind ourselves to our—selves, the only way to cope with what we inwardly sense is... legalism. Legalism is a diseased place to be.

Come On, Tiger, Tell Her You’re Sorry

Last week, one of Tiger Woods’ mistresses, Jaimee Grubbs, told a Los Angeles
TV station she wanted an apology. Tiger Woods made her "feel like I was the only girl." She went on to ask, "Why put me through that if I didn't mean anything?"

Hmm, I wonder if Tiger’s WIFE wondered the same thing.

This reminds of Proverbs 18:1. If I may paraphrase:

An unfriendly woman pursues selfish ends
She defies all sound judgment.