Topical Tuesday 01 - Michael Vick

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” – Matthew 18:21-22

With those words Jesus set the standard for Christians as far as forgiveness is concerned. Seventy-seven isn’t the magical number we strive for when forgiving someone, hoping to make it to seventy-eight so we can write someone off and not forgive him or her. Jesus is exaggerating his point, saying that we should always forgive those who wrong us, no matter how often they wrong us; our forgiveness should be limitless. Unfortunately it is easy to lose sight of this standard when taking public figures into account.

Michael Vick has reentered the conscious of America as last week he signed a one-year contract with the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles. This will be the first opportunity Vick will have to play football since pleading guilty to felony charges stemming from an illegal dog fighting ring which Vick bank rolled and in which he participated. Vick was the number one draft pick in 2001 and was the highest paid football player in the NFL. However, nowadays, he has become the poster boy for animal cruelty and public enemy number one in the eyes of some. There has been a large outcry in the American public because of Vick’s actions, mostly stemming from the mistreatment of dogs. Americans love their dogs and some have suggested that Vick’s actions are unforgiveable. With his reinstatement to the NFL, the question has arisen of whether or not Michael Vick should be forgiven and whether or not he deserves a second chance. Jesus would say that Vick definitely should be forgiven and given seventy-seven chances.

We have all made mistakes and we all need forgiveness. Some of our sins, some of our mistakes are not as egregious as killing dogs but others are far more egregious. We all know the need for forgiveness and that is why we have to be willing to forgive. There will always be consequences for our sins, but being unforgiven shouldn’t be one of those consequences. Vick served 19 months in prison, lost every dime he ever made and has to carry around the burden of what he did; those are the consequences of his actions but he should still be forgiven. And, if he steps out of line again, there will be more consequences, potentially harsher ones, but he should still be forgiven, up to seventy-seven times and beyond.

We all need to seek forgiveness at some point in our lives, either from people we’ve wronged or the holy God who we ultimately wrong with every one of our sins. And even though we will always experience the consequences of our sins, it’s my hope that I’ll always experience forgiveness as well. When we’re forgiven it releases is to take full advantage of our second chance; when we forgive it releases us to see the hope and potential of another human being. I have hope that Michael Vick will turn his life around and take full advantage of the second chance he’s been given but my ability to see that hope begins with forgiveness.

To whom do you need to give a second chance? Whose forgiveness do you need to seek out?