Hay Happens and Hay's Happen

For some reason, I’m struck by the Lance Armstrong story.

Lance has broken records in not only cycling but in beating odds overcoming cancer. He’s started a foundation to help others, inspiring them with his story. But, now he has decided to come clean. He’s decided to admit he has lied all these years and has been doping during all those seven years of winning.

Wow.

So, why now? What are his motives? Is it our right to question his motives? Why do I even care?

What concerns me is the message he sends to the kids watching his career. However, lest we forget the beauty of confession? There is a need for confession and repentance for all of us and we know according to Romans, that we “have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all know that when we ask for forgiveness with a truly repentant heart, it is freely given to us by the grace of God through the blood of Christ.”

I can sit here and question his motives, judge him for his immorality, doubt his heart, but really….it’s between him and God. If he truly has a deeply contrite heart, then he is forgiven. Whether we the people forgive him, is another story. Maybe the bigger issue is propping him up as a role model in the first place. As a parent, I must be careful on who I allow my child to worship. My hope is that she would love Jesus with all of her heart and follow Him as her example. Furthermore, I want to be her example in how I live my life.

Yes, I’m going to sin. However, and this is crucial…my sins, large or small, should grieve me enough to desire never to repeat them. I go to God regularly, willingly asking Him to examine my heart and “see if there is any offensive way in me” (Psalm 139:23). John Allan Lavendar said, “Before you pray for a change in circumstances, you should pray for a change in character.” Tatum will watch me and hopefully see MY heart.

As for Lance? God only knows if his confession is real. God only knows if he will repent and truly have a change of character.