What Win I?

“What win I, if I gain the thing I seek? A dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy. Who buys a minute's mirth to wail a week? Or sells eternity to get a toy? For one sweet grape who will the vine destroy?” William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece

Many years ago, I had the opportunity to see the old Wade Hampton Hotel imploded to make way for a new AT&T high-rise office complex in Columbia, SC. I was amazed that it only took a matter of seconds to bring down the old hotel that just a few moments before stood proudly across the street from the capital building on the corner of Main and Gervais. A few carefully placed explosives and down she came into a pile of rubble and a cloud of dust. All of this transpired just to make room for another building that it then took over two years to complete. It was a stark reminder to me that life truly is a precious, fragile gift that needs to be treasured, guarded and protected at all times. The good we have and the good we know can crumble so quickly! Anytime we lose anything that appears to be sturdy and strong, it will take a long time to rebuild anything substantial in its place.

The Shakespeare quote I started with has been on my mind a lot since the Tiger Woods scandal broke a few weeks ago. Like many of you, I am shocked and saddened by all the reports of infidelity by Mr. Woods. His once squeaky-clean image has tarnished so quickly. He seemed to have it all - a beautiful wife, two healthy young children, a successful career, more money than anyone could possibly imagine, and fans all over the world who admired him, just to name a few of his accolades and attributes. Oh, how the mighty hath fallen! Why? With all this and so much more, why would he throw it all away? It appears he may be heading to divorce court soon, and he has already lost not only his sponsorships with Accenture, Buick, and TAG Heuer, but also his luster as a man of integrity. “A minute’s mirth to wail a week… for one sweet grape who will the vine destroy?” We live in a culture and a time that so easily succumbs to instant gratification without much thought for long-term gain or loss. Perhaps in the moment something may appear to feel just right, yet if we’d only take a deep breath and a moment to reflect on the long-term results, we might choose very differently. Yet, given the nature of human nature, it is a wonder things like this don’t happen more often to people we know, or to us. How many among us will seek, in the coming days or in the coming year, but “a dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy,” or will you even consider that something you may want so much may just “sell eternity to get a toy?”

Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25: 29-34). David saw Bathsheba’s beauty and could think of nothing else besides wanting her, which including forgetting his duty to his family and nation (2 Samuel 11). Judas betrayed Jesus for a bag of money (Mark 14:10-11). Peter denied Jesus for fear of being identified with him, and perhaps arrested, tortured and killed along with him as well (Mark 14: 66-72). Paul, also called Saul, assisted the angry crowd as they stoned Stephen to death by watching their coats while the dirty deed was done (Acts 7:54-8:1). And then there was Tiger, and you, and me… when did we last succumb to something that seemed so sweet in the moment only to eventually lose face or place or space? “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).” Tiger doesn’t need our pity or our prideful sense that we are living so much better than he. He needs our prayers, and the only thing that truly saves any of us in the end: “amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind but now I see” (Amazing Grace by John Newton, 1725-1807, slave trader, Christian convert, and pastor).