The Sheik vs. Tiger (Woods)
(Warning: due to the nature of the events alluded to in this blog, please monitor those “younger of age.” Though the events and personalities spoken of are considered contemporary and mainstream, unfortunately the material is graphic nonetheless.)
With all of the “hoop-la” surrounding Tiger Woods and his recent “infidelity” I thought it was time to speak up because “I have something to say.” On his website Tiger released the following statement: “I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I’ve done, but I want to do my best to try.”
Many have spoken and / or written vilifying him and others have tried to make excuses on his behalf; I thought I would tell a little story – a parable if you would.
The parable of the Sheik:
There once was a young heir to a Middle Eastern oil fortune – a sheik in the making, a prince if you would. His family was so concerned about women who were “gold diggers” that they protected their only son from many social gatherings and “courting” opportunities. So much so that by the time he was around 30 years of age he had hardly been on what we would call a “date.”
Then the inevitable occurred. His father passed away and he inherited the family fortune, and with the money the responsibility. Soon thereafter he was to attend an oil and gas conference in New York City. Upon his arrival he could not help but notice the incredibly attractive American women. As the conference drew near to a close he asked one of the other young American men if he would mind “setting him up” on a date with one of his young American female friends – he obliged and the date was set.
It was a night arranged by a “king.” The young lady was picked up by the sheik in a limo. They were whisked around New York City where they dined at a 5 Star restaurant and sat in box seats at one of Broadway’s best. The evening closed with an after-show dessert at a quaint little restaurant. As they were finishing dinner the young sheik asked the American woman an interesting question:
Would you “go back to my hotel room with me for $1,000,000?”
After a moment of thought she replied “yes.”
They continued with their dessert and conversation till the young sheik asked another question:
Would you go back to my hotel room with me for $20?
Angrily the woman threw down her napkin and fork and replied, “What kind of woman do you think I am?”
The sheik replied, “We’ve already established that, we are merely negotiating the price.”
Now back to Tiger. The accusations are that he “has been with” 10+ women over the last few years. His indiscretions are such that Gillette, Accenture, and I’m sure many more multi-million dollar sponsors are going to declare that he is “no longer the right representative” for their product or company at this time. Everyone in the media seems horrified at this fabulous athlete’s personal behavior.
Allow me to ask a question:
Would everyone be so enraged with Tiger if there were only one woman? The problem is that our culture has deemed Tiger’s character as flawed and worthy of chastisement because of the quantity not the quality. Allow me to go on record, “Tiger’s character was established with one breech of his marital vows.” Tiger Woods is most likely going to “go down in history” as one of the biggest off the field sports stories the sports world has ever known, but his character issue was settled long before the media, or his wife for that matter, became familiar with the situation.
Allow me to close with these thoughts:
Should Tiger’s behavior be condemned? Yes. Should he suffer the consequences privately and publically regarding his indiscretions? Yes. Do you or I have the right “to throw a stone?” No. See, here is the difference between you and Tiger – he got caught. Your indiscretions may not involve broken marital vows or anything related to infidelity, but that is not the point. An old phrase I’ve heard for years goes a little something like this, “Character is who you are behind closed doors.”
What are you like behind closed doors? Are you negotiating the price?
One’s personal worldview, how he views and what he does with God, shapes his character. Then discipline and caring support by like minds and hearts can better keep one from perversion and moving toward sanctification. Tiger exists in spiritual and accountability starvation…maybe this experience will serve as his Damascus Road.