LESSONS FROM TIGER’S TROUBLES!

We have been inundated with the news of Tiger’s Troubles since he had the accident some weeks ago when he hit a hydrant and smashed his car into a tree near his home. I remember the breaking of the news, the flurry and the buzz that his accident caused, everyone was curious to know why Tiger Woods the world’s most celebrated sports man would drive his car into a tree just a few minutes away from his home, it was just an incredible story, but within the story lay more intriguing and damaging stories. The stories gradually unfolded as we began to hear of Tiger’s Temptations and Tiger’s sins.

That is the background of this piece that I have aptly titled “Lessons From Tiger’s Troubles”! I remember a man of God, Dr Myles Munroe at a function in lagos Nigeria predicting that in 2009! Everything that could be shaken would be shaken! How prophetic he was in his predictions of the year for 2009 will go down as one of the most traumatic years in history!

Everything that can be shaken has been shaken, is it with the global recession, or the death of MJ and the unforgettable banking saga that rocked Nigeria my beloved country.

As I look back at the year I begin to ponder on the Troubles of Tiger Wood, and of course the traumas of Elin his wife! Tiger literally had the world at his feet but at the moment he must be holding on to dear life, because one minute life’s good and the next day, all hell breaks loose and as a person that is quick to learn life’s lessons I ponder at the lessons to be learnt with the Wood’s saga!

As you read further in this piece you will find some of the lessons that we must all learn from Tiger’s Troubles, because life is a school of unending lessons. To grow and get better we must continually learn from our own mistakes and from the mistakes of others.

1. Only God is perfect. Only God can sit on his high horse and remain God.

2. It is important that we do not carry on in life with a very high mien and assume that we are who we are because of our good looks, strengths, capacities and abilities. All that we are and that we can accomplish and achieve is the work of grace which is God’s No 1 gift to humanity, think of it?
Who gives us our very lives?
Who gives us breath?
Who gives us strength?
Who gives us health?
Who gives us favour?
Who gives our intelligence?
Who gives us direction?
Who gives us power?
Who gives us wealth?
Who gives us good looks?
Who gives us fame?
Who gives us wisdom?
This is why we must be very careful in life not to assume that we are products of our own hard work, self discipline and ability! It’s the greatest fallacy in life to think you are who you are by your work alone?
I am writing this piece because my heart goes out to Tiger and his entire household! In life we are prone to temptations because we are human beings! We are frail and can only carry on alone by God’s grace!

3. Thirdly we all have enemies, and sometimes we are our own worst enemies, We put up great fronts, wear massive masks and carry on though we are untouchable and impenetrable? The truth is that our very strengths and our very foundations come from God. We are nothing outside of God Almighty.
So for me it is a great lesson to learn the depths of our frailties as human beings. Yes frailties ! We are products of the earth, what beautifies our lives as human beings is the breath and the grace of God! So in life the earlier we learn to recognize our frailties and accept God’s divine grace to help us on the race of life. I am no saint! I have done my own share of failing and falling too but I have come to know and recognize that outside of God “I am nothing”! So I choose to quickly retrace my steps to my God and maker and surrender my life to God to lead and to help me.

4. Life is a STAGE! Yes a stage where every man must play his part and one day return to our Maker to tell the story of how we made it through. I am not a judge because I am not Tiger’s Creator but every time something happens around me I quickly choose to see the lessons and learn from them so that my life and the lives of those around me can benefit.

5. Everything is possible! Whoever thought a black man would become the president of America and occupy the White House in our time and generation? Whoever believed that Michael Jackson would die at only 50? Whoever believed that the Berlin Wall would crumble and the cold war would end? Whoever thought the world would witness so much technological changes that the whole world would suddenly become a global village? Who ever thought, that Tiger would lose the support of all his sponsors in just a few weeks because of infidelity? Whoever thought? Who knows what next?
My real reason for writing this piece is to solicit your prayers for Tiger and his household? You might wonder why pray for Tiger? Why not? I ask?
Jesus Christ while dealing with the adulterous woman who was caught in the very act of adultery told her haters and those that condemned her to cast the first stone for stoning to death was the penalty for this sin! One by one they all walked away, because they all had sinned And no one could cast any stone so every one of her condemners just all simply walked away.
Well the same goes for Tiger, I am not saying infidelity is acceptable or even pardonable! I cannot judge Tiger because I am equally a sinner, only free because of the finished work of Jesus. Only God can judge his own creation, and Tiger Woods is one of God’s creations, that is why we must pray for him and his entire household at this time of trial and trouble. So I am throwing away my stone, I am walking back to my own space and minding my own business but I am purposed on doing one thing and one thing alone, I am committed to spending time praying for Tiger and Elin that this trouble will not destroy their union and that this trouble will make better people of this couple!

6. To err is human to forgive is divine! We must all forgive ourselves for our errors and our mistakes and learn to forgive others too. God is love and his heart is that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of his grace! Let’s find it in our hearts to forgive especially people that have hurt us and this is why we plead with Tiger’s wife to forgive the erring Tiger and love deeper and give even the more at a time when all she feels to do is to tear down and break up.

7. It is a sad day for Tiger but it is also a great day! How can sadness birth greatness, well adversity helps you see clearly because God allows you see who you really are and when you know yourself then you become a master of trouble! Adversity also helps you know your real friends because when all is well you do not know who really and truly loves you for you not just because you are the greatest man or woman in the world. Success they say has many cousins but in the day of trouble only the strong and the beloved can stand with you. So rejoice Tiger because life is clearer and your purpose hopefully will be even more defined because if you can weather adversity, then you are really and truly a MAN!

8. Finally Tigers Troubles and travails shows that we must only build our hopes and dreams on the solid rock! “On the SOLID ROCK I STAND! All other ground is SINKING SAND”! Today most of the companies that before now endorsed Tiger have backed down, how quickly they go! That is the lesson of life! Suddenly Tiger is no longer the premium brand? No longer the greatest golfer and sports man in the world? Ha! Life can be cruel sometimes so if we desire to build or rebuild let’s build our lives, our professions and our family around GOD through the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Only God will stand in the day of trouble and statistics show that every one has the potential to walk away in the day of trouble because trouble comes to us all! That is why I am never ashamed of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, as they say I am a diehard JESUS follower because I am CERTAIN of His love and commitment for me! JESUS CHRIST is the SOLID ROCK we can build upon! He is the SURE FOUNDATION! He is the anchor for our souls!

9. Life is Seasonal. Seasons come and seasons go! We must realize the seasons that we are continually! There are up seasons and down seasons! It’s important that we learn to manage every season! Like Joseph in Egypt, when there was plenty in the land, he saved for the days of drought! Know what season you are in and do not mismanage your seasons? Is it planting time? Is it harvest time? What season are you in? We will reap whatever we sow so it is important to realize that seedtime and harvest time will not cease so long as the earth remains!

10. Finally people can make or mar us, we must be careful the companies we keep! Choose your business associates and circle of friends wisely. He who moves with the wise, will become wise and a company of fools is trouble. Do not despise the WORD OF GOD! God is not mocked whatever a man sows that too will he reap! Keep godly and wise company they help you keep your soundness and secure your future!
Let’s pray for ourselves that God will continue to help us, grace us, keep us and defend our cause!

I remembered when Whitney Houston went through her travails, I choose to pray and today she is out of the woods and back on her feet, again it is time to pray for one of God’s great creations!
Let’s pray for Tiger and Elin that God will help them overcome these times and use them both for the good of his Kingdom! Do you say Amen? Or do I hear why should I? God will do His will and purpose in all our lives.

God bless Tiger Woods and His entire household, and God bless every reader of this piece.

God bless Nigeria!

God bless our president!

Merry Christmas and do have a prosperous 2010!

Copyright @ VICTORIA FADEYI. DECEMER 20, 2009.