At the MTV Video Music Awards this past weekend, Taylor Swift won the award for best female video. The most shocking part of the evening, other than MTV programming anything to do with music videos, was Kanye West’s interruption of Swift’s acceptance speech. Kanye took to the stage and said this:
"Taylor, I'm really happy for you. I'll let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!"
It is considered unacceptable behavior to interrupt someone else’s acceptance speech, especially if you’re not even nominated in the same category; Kanye’s gender precluded his nomination for the award. It is also unacceptable to pull someone underneath the bus with you, which, from the look on her face, is how Beyonce felt. After the awards and the following night on the Jay Leno show, Kanye apologized and said that he was sorry for taking away from Taylor Swift’s moment. But how sorry was he?
Kanye has a pattern of taking away from the moments of others. In 2004, he stormed out of the American Music Awards when he lost the best new artist award to Gretchen Wilson. In my opinion, Kanye probably should have won the award; he is tremendously talented. Yet taking away from someone else’s moment because you’re a sore lose is immature and childish. Another time, in 2006 at the MTV Europe Music Awards, Kanye lost an award to Justice and Simian; during their acceptance speech, Kanye interrupted them and told the crowd that he should have won. How sorry can Kanye really be if he continues to act the same way? How sorry can he be if he doesn’t do anything to change?
Truly being sorry for something should lead to repentance. Repentance is a turning away from something and moving in a different direction. Repentance requires more than feeling sorry and momentarily guilty; those feelings need to be coupled with lasting change. Unless our apologies are coupled with actions that show we’ve changed, we’re not really that sorry. Sometimes we keep doing something to hurt a friend, over and over again. We may apologize each time but if we continue to do the same thing, then we’re not really sorry. We can also fall into the same pattern in our lives with God. We can sin over and over again and continually confess that sin to God. But unless we trust in grace to cleanse us and lead us to repentance, we’re really not that sorry and our confession is a little hollow.
Unfortunately, a lot of apologies can simply be lip service. We can say that we’re sorry without ever really changing, without ever truly repenting. We need to not only speak an apology but prove that apology true by changing the way we live, by repenting from and old way and turning to a new one. Obviously, I don’t know Kanye’s heart; I can only perceive his actions. But from his actions, he speaks an apology but he doesn’t live out that apology. When we’re sorry, when we apologize, we need to repent and live out that apology. We need to live out that apology whether it’s to a friend, a family member or our holy God.
How can you live out an apology to someone in your life?
Showing posts with label Forgiveness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Forgiveness. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Topical Tuesday 02 - Jerry Jones
The Dallas Cowboys are allegedly America’s team, a moniker granted in the 70s which, for some inexplicable reason, has carried over into today. As America’s team, it would seem only fitting, that they should build a shining example of America’s unbelievable extravagance and dangerous opulence. The new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX cost an estimated $1.2 billion to build; one…point…two…billion…dollars. I’ve seen it from a distance and it is a massive structure that somewhat resembles a giant marshmallow. The stadium seats 80,000 people, has a retractable roof and is the largest domed structure in the world; truly, everything is bigger in Texas.
The massive scale of the stadium also includes the video screen which is suspended in the middle of the stadium. The screen is a Mitsubishi high definition television which measures in at 160 feet wide and 72 feet tall. I’m sure that the screen is a sight to behold and provides a crystal clear view of what is happening on the field. The only problem, though, is that the screen is too low and can easily be hit by a punt. In the first game at the new Cowboys Stadium, the Tennessee Titans’ punter A.J. Trapasso hit the screen while punting the ball during the game. Football coaches and analysts agree that the screen needs to be raised but the owner of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones, disagrees.
Jerry Jones is the 66-year-old owner of the Dallas Cowboys. He is a polarizing figure in sports, mainly due to his hands-on approach with the team. Not only is Jones the owner but he is also the general manager, making all the personnel decisions for the team. Some have suggested that Jones is too involved with the team but he is the owner and he does what he wants; and he does not want to take responsibility for the height of the screen in Cowboys Stadium. Jones says that it isn’t his fault that the screen is too low, the NFL approved the design and he’s not going to change it; he’s not to blame and he won’t take responsibility. After spending $2.1 billion on the stadium, he is not willing to spend $2 million to make the correction. Jones is stubborn and the only thing less likely to change is the expression on his face.
I’ve never made a $2 million mistake. In spite of that, it’s still hard to admit when I’m wrong; it’s still hard to admit that I’m sorry. To this day, apologizing is one of the most difficult things for me to do. Unfortunately for me, an ability to humble ourselves and admit when we’re wrong stands at the center of what it means to live our lives for Christ. We have to be willing to admit when we’re wrong, ask forgiveness and reconcile broken relationships.
In the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5, Jesus says this:
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."
When we’ve wronged someone we need to seek him or her out; Jesus says that we shouldn’t wait. We should strive to live in such a way as not to wrong anyone but, when we inevitably do, we need to be ready and willing to admit we’re wrong and make things right. Honestly, admitting we’re wrong sucks; there is no better way to put it, but we need to be willing to do it. The ability to admit we’re wrong and seek forgiveness is a sign of maturity and humility. It’s a sign which says we are more willing to sacrifice our pride for a relationship than to sacrifice a relationship for our pride.
Who knows how the Cowboys Stadium situation will be resolved. Before its conclusion there will be a lot of posturing and a lot of trying to save face, something with which Jerry Jones is very familiar. A $2 million mistake is a big one and I’m sure it’s very hard to admit to making such a colossal blunder. Thankfully, most of us will never make a mistake that big. But even in our small mistakes and our little offenses, we need to be willing to do the right thing and admit that we’re wrong. We need to find those we’ve wronged, admit our folly and seek forgiveness.
When have you admitted you were wrong and how did it affect a relationship?
The massive scale of the stadium also includes the video screen which is suspended in the middle of the stadium. The screen is a Mitsubishi high definition television which measures in at 160 feet wide and 72 feet tall. I’m sure that the screen is a sight to behold and provides a crystal clear view of what is happening on the field. The only problem, though, is that the screen is too low and can easily be hit by a punt. In the first game at the new Cowboys Stadium, the Tennessee Titans’ punter A.J. Trapasso hit the screen while punting the ball during the game. Football coaches and analysts agree that the screen needs to be raised but the owner of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones, disagrees.
Jerry Jones is the 66-year-old owner of the Dallas Cowboys. He is a polarizing figure in sports, mainly due to his hands-on approach with the team. Not only is Jones the owner but he is also the general manager, making all the personnel decisions for the team. Some have suggested that Jones is too involved with the team but he is the owner and he does what he wants; and he does not want to take responsibility for the height of the screen in Cowboys Stadium. Jones says that it isn’t his fault that the screen is too low, the NFL approved the design and he’s not going to change it; he’s not to blame and he won’t take responsibility. After spending $2.1 billion on the stadium, he is not willing to spend $2 million to make the correction. Jones is stubborn and the only thing less likely to change is the expression on his face.
I’ve never made a $2 million mistake. In spite of that, it’s still hard to admit when I’m wrong; it’s still hard to admit that I’m sorry. To this day, apologizing is one of the most difficult things for me to do. Unfortunately for me, an ability to humble ourselves and admit when we’re wrong stands at the center of what it means to live our lives for Christ. We have to be willing to admit when we’re wrong, ask forgiveness and reconcile broken relationships.
In the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5, Jesus says this:
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."
When we’ve wronged someone we need to seek him or her out; Jesus says that we shouldn’t wait. We should strive to live in such a way as not to wrong anyone but, when we inevitably do, we need to be ready and willing to admit we’re wrong and make things right. Honestly, admitting we’re wrong sucks; there is no better way to put it, but we need to be willing to do it. The ability to admit we’re wrong and seek forgiveness is a sign of maturity and humility. It’s a sign which says we are more willing to sacrifice our pride for a relationship than to sacrifice a relationship for our pride.
Who knows how the Cowboys Stadium situation will be resolved. Before its conclusion there will be a lot of posturing and a lot of trying to save face, something with which Jerry Jones is very familiar. A $2 million mistake is a big one and I’m sure it’s very hard to admit to making such a colossal blunder. Thankfully, most of us will never make a mistake that big. But even in our small mistakes and our little offenses, we need to be willing to do the right thing and admit that we’re wrong. We need to find those we’ve wronged, admit our folly and seek forgiveness.
When have you admitted you were wrong and how did it affect a relationship?
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
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?
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?
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