Imagine being unfathomably wealthy. Imagine being better than everyone else at what you do. Imagine being edified, even idolized, for it regularly. Imagine not having a single need that you cannot meet yourself.
I'm not talking about Solomon, as the title of this implies. I'm talking about Tiger Woods.
These last couple weeks, Tiger has had something of a public relations nightmare as rumors have circulated about his infidelity which he confirmed in his own statement about taking a leave from the sport which has graced his life. When this all came out in the news my son said, "Why has this happened? Tiger had everything: money, he did what he loved and was good at it; he has a beautiful wife and children. Why would he do this?" I just looked at him and said, "It's the Solomon Syndrome."
As Solomon is one of my son's favorite Biblical people because of his wisdom, this resonated with Anton. Solomon had everything: wisdom, wealth and honor to the point where God says "no other king will compare with you." (1 Kings 3:13) On top of all that, Solomon had God. He not only had the teachings and life lessons of his father, King David, but he had direct contact with the Father through a dream where God told him in 1 Kings 3:14 "If you walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life." Later God reaffirms and enhances this in 1 Kings 9:4 "As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my ordinances over Israel forever, as I promised your father David saying: 'There shall not fail you a successor on the thrown of Israel.'"
Biblical history tells us Solomon didn't do as God commanded. He married countless women, many who worshiped idols, prompting Solomon to worship these false gods. As a result, Israel was divided and the kingdom collapsed. Solomon wrote a book on his vanity called Ecclesiastes, having learned that finding joy in accumulating things of the world is akin to "chasing after the wind." He ends his book with these words: "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing whether good or evil." (Eccles. 12:13-14)
When Tiger made his most recent statement, Miami Heat basketball player Dwyane Wade said, "One thing people don't understand is that we're human. You're not born with a menu on how not to do things wrong. You going to make mistakes like every human being."
But Dwyane is wrong. We are born with a menu that tells us how not to do things wrong. It's called the Bible. It's just we choose to do wrong anyways.
God knows what we have to deal with as humans. For heaven's sake, he was one in Jesus Christ and dealt with every temptation we did (Hebrews 4:15).
We can do the right thing. We can. Tiger said in his most recent statement "I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person." He does. We all need to focus on that. The issue is, what are you using as your guide to do that? Where is your focus? Scripture (Joshua 1:8) tells us Joshua was encouraged by God to "meditate on [the book of the law] day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it."
When the news of Tiger first came out, my husband asked: "Do you think Tiger has Jesus?" I said I didn't know, but thought perhaps he should try to contact him to tell him. My husband laughed, seeing that task as next to impossible. But somebody needs to.
Our family is praying for Tiger. We're praying if he doesn't know Christ, he finds Him. We're praying he find Scripture and reads it thoroughly. We're praying he acts in accordance with all that is written in it. We're praying he becomes that better husband, father and person he wishes to be.
Imagine a Tiger Woods, with all the blessings he already has, filled with the Holy Spirit? What couldn't that man accomplish in Christ's name? How many could come to know Christ through him?
Imagine...
[Wise Solomon painting by Lars Justinen]
