I have to admit the Lance talk did peak my interest a bit. Who doesn't know Lance? Seven time Tour de France cyclist superstar...cancer survivor...ex boyfriend of Sheryl Crow. He's been in the headlines for awhile because it came out that he was accused of doping to give an edge in his competitions. Why this is coming out now after 7 years is beyond me, but it did. And for the longest time he blatantly denied it. He took cocky pictures of himself lounging on his couch supposedly not caring what the rest of the world thought. And I was pulling for him. I wanted him to be telling the truth. I wanted those officials to be wrong and for them to find out he really was that amazing. That hard core!
Recently he just sat down with Oprah and fessed up that he did in fact lie. He was cheating and covering it up. I couldn't stomach the interview. It made me squirm just thinking about it. I'm not defending his actions at all, but can you imagine how he's felt for the last few months...years? He's been carrying around this lie...this career busting HUGE secret around his neck for a long long time.
He did this dishonorable thing to WIN and then he did WIN and to keep up the charade he continued to dope. He got all those millions of dollars of endorsements, started the Livestrong foundation...was living the good life thinking no one knew the better and then WHAM! The truth surfaces. Then out of sheer fear he thought denying it would help him keep some amount of his dignity, maybe people would believe him. Apparently his son had been defending him at school. Telling everyone they were wrong, and that's what finally made him step up and admit his sins. Now imagine wherever he goes people of course recognize him, but instead of the special recognition and pats on the back he used to receive, he gets stared at and judged...by the whole world! Can you even imagine?
I do this weird thing of putting myself in other people's shoes, it comes easy for me. I don't know if it helps me to have compassion or makes me less judgemental, but I'm glad I'm wired that way. What this man did was obviously wrong. He knew it. Even if he's not a believer I'm sure he knew cheating and lying was a bad thing. He's getting publicly punished...which fits the crime since he publicly deceived. His money, his titles, his company and reputation have all been stripped. The wages of sin...
It's so easy to see where others have fallen short and completely screwed up. It's so easy to sit back and say that would never happen to me, but we all have sinned and are in desperate need of a savior. As believers the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts and helps us make good decisions, so this type of outcome doesn't happen...but only if we are obedient. The Lord's provision on the cross doesn't give us a free pass to do what we want, it reminds us that He paid the price...our sins are covered, but I don't want to live like that anymore.
I'm really praying someone comes along and shares Jesus with Lance. That he can know that even though he messed up, his life isn't over. That hopefully he can come to place where he realizes he's a sinner and can give it over and find peace in the knowledge that all things can be made whole...that forgiveness is for everyone.
Be a blessing.
971. warmer temps this week
972. birds flying past my window
973. grace
974. date night with my honey
You said it so well, Becky...and that's exactly how I feel, too. Everyone deserves forgiveness...and I'm so thankful that God grants it freely.
ReplyDeleteso true my friend, so true!
ReplyDeleteps--are you familiar with his exwife, kristin armsstrong? she's amazing! she loves the lord. has written a few books on running & on going through her very public divorce.
Anybody that wins the Tour de France is doping. Cheating. That makes it a level playing field. But lying is lying and he shouldn't have lied. It's easy for me to forgive him, but it's going to be harder for those in cycling and the family. Should we forgive. Of course. I know I live in a glass house.
ReplyDeleteI think the hardest thing
ReplyDeleteto forgive is the fact that
when others tried to out
him, he pointed the finger
back at them and accused
THEM of being the liars.
This cost many of them
careers and endorsements.
Even Greg LeMond, who
lives not that far from me,
{and is from the old school,
pre-doping days of cycling}
was dropped by a sponsor
when he spoke out against
Lance ~ because Lance put
pressure on that company
to do so. There are libel
lawsuits flying around the
globe, as he filed numerous
defamation claims against
magazine and newspaper
reporters.....which we now
know were factual, and not
lies, at all.
We may forgive him ~ God
certainly does ~ but I wonder
how many years it will be
until he forgives himself??
Great food for thought, B!
xo Suzanne
PS: Love your new header!
Beautiful post!!!!!
ReplyDelete"As believers the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts and helps us make good decisions, so this type of outcome doesn't happen...but only if we are obedient. The Lord's provision on the cross doesn't give us a free pass to do what we want, it reminds us that He paid the price...our sins are covered, but I don't want to live like that anymore."
My most favorite part and worded so very well!!!
He only wants forgiveness so that he can race again. He said that in the interview. Not in so many words, but basically. Please forgive me. The only thing I am good at is racing. Oh... and bullying people who accuse me of cheating. I've destroyed careers of SO MANY PEOPLE who caught me doping. Annihilated them and I feel just terrible about it. Now that I have said that can I please please please race again?
ReplyDeleteSometimes you have to ask yourself why people sit on the Mea Culpa couch and ask forgiveness of the public. The people he should be seeking forgiveness from are all those he backstabbed, the careers he destroyed, and his kid. And Jesus. You don't do any of that on national TV. But this isn't about forgiveness. It's about racing again.
i just takes all the glory of all that success away. it makes me sad. i've thought of him a lot too...i've thought a lot about the 2nd placers in all those races too. they should know by now that they always get found out...always!
ReplyDeleteYes. The second placers (provided they were drug-free) were robbed of moments for which they had worked so hard. I feel worst for them. Can you imagine, Becky, if you wrote a book for which you were in the running for a national award? Imagine if someone else won...only, come to find out, (s)he didn't really write the book! Ugh! I hope this man finds forgiveness through the Lord. I hope, too, that he's never permitted to race again. There has to be a balance of judgment/justice and mercy.
DeleteMaybe my favorite post ever. If Lance somehow decided to google himself and stumbled upon your post, I'm pretty sure it would make him weep from the knowledge that there is a LOVE out there greater than our mistakes. We all make bad choices. So grateful for forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteit's amazing how quick we humans are to throw stones. i saw this on twitter: "It would be easier for me to be upset at Lance if I never had the desire to maintain a reputation by lying." and wow. so true. we all can fall into that trap so easily. thank God for the blood of Jesus to wipe us clean. i hope Lance can experience that.
ReplyDeleteBecky and Carissa, you don't know how much these words convicted me and blessed me. Seriously, who are we to judge, I know I sin daily and while I may not be breaking the "law" would I want to be sitting on national TV talking about it. Shame on me for thinking my "little" sins don't matter. Sin is sin and we are all at fault at making ourselves look better then we truly are at one time or another. Thanks for such an insightful post Becky and Carissa for sharing your words of wisdom, it brought such truth to me, I had been seeking and has most definitely made me think twice about my actions.
DeleteI too have this ability to place myself in the shoes of others; at least to some extent. And I too am very grateful for this part of my heart. It is in fact a sign of compassion for others. I feel too much for too many. I am not much of a sports fan, other than loving to see or hear my husband and boys share such excitement over it. But I was not shocked when the news of Lance's admittance came up. I was just telling my husband the other night how much weight I was feeling for him AND everyone involved. I understand the extremity of losses and hurt he has brought onto cyclists, the public and his family. But I will not judge another human being. He is paying for it day by day under his skin; and will be for a very long time. And I pray for him. It was easy for [everyone] to believe he can do the "impossible"; like champion the Tour de France, not once, not twice, not 3 times, not 4 times... And I can go on and already hear how insane that sounds... 7 times! He won 7 times. Yet most believed in that because most want heroes. Most need heroes like him. I personally knew something was not right. Yet now that this human being has found himself against a wall and needing to come to terms with all the lies, THIS is what many have an issue with. Suddenly, the hero is barely a human being. Suddenly, the lives he has helped save or inspire through his Live Strong Foundation is barely kept in mind. I pray that he finds a way to heal and forgive himself. I pray that he holds on to Jesus for guidance and I pray that he can feel His forgiveness. I pray for his children and family and all the cyclists. Life does go on. Thank you for sharing this wonderful post and your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI love your new look ~ so clean and fresh! Now on to Lance ~ I watched the interview(s) with Oprah ~ mind you I was also playing on the laptop at the same time so I did not give it my undivided attention. Although what he did was wrong and I will not stand and defend him ~ I do believe that everyone deserves to be forgiven once they admit to their mistakes and apologize to those that he has hurt. I hope Livestrong will live long, after all the money that it has raised for cancer research.
ReplyDeleteWe followed Lance and his Tour de France journey's, my husband for the sport and me for the locale (smile). We recorded and watched the interview on Oprah and expected to fast forward most of it but the human factor sucked me in. I have read he has had a fall from grace but I still saw what I perceived to be a strong pull toward pride. I pray he will find the true meaning of grace and not fall from it but fall into it. We all struggle with it on some level, the pride. I love his continued admiration for his ex-wife and I pray he will find what I have heard she has - true forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteA great post Becky, full of truth! I'm reminded of the verse, "he who is without sin, cast the first stone." Happy new week!
ReplyDeleteLookin' good around these parts! Love your new sweet header!
ReplyDeleteLance, poor guy has his sin out for the world to see. I wonder if all our sin made headline news if we'd be so quick to judge. Yep. Sin stinks. But a sin is a sin- one no worse than the other in the eyes of the Lord. So yes, his sin was bad and affected many people- but so do our daily sins.
i am so sad for him, his sin open wide for all to see. no worse than me, that's for certain.
ReplyDeletehow can we not have mercy and give grace to others when we accept it so freely each and every moment?
love this...God's Truth is so powerful...i pray that he accepts God's free gift if he hasn't already.
xo
I believe anyone who believes in Jesus as Lord and savior and repents of their sins is forgiven. Only God can judge the hearts of men, but I do wonder about Lance Armstrong's heart. He did not seem sorry for all of the people that were brought down as the result of his bad choices, some of them very intentional. I also wonder why he gave an interview. Was it just for the money? I can't think of any reason that the interview helped him or those close to him. If I were him, I would make amends with God, and do my best to make amends privately with others. It is important though to remember that we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. I am not one who can cast a stone at him.
ReplyDeleteYour last paragraph is my favorite part of your post.
Well said!
ReplyDeleteI think all of us would like to forgive Lance, but what I found pretty much unforgiveable is that he sued people that were telling the truth about him. I think he has become very very good at lying...so much so that he can't tell the difference. How sad that he was defended by his child and didn't deserve it.
ReplyDeleteLove the truth in your post Becky. You said it beautifully and such a great reminder to all of us that just because someone is a celebrity doesn't mean that they aren't going through the same hurts and struggles. I keep thinking of his children. That would kill me the most, looking at their faces. That has to stab him in his heart no matter what. I too will be praying that a believer will come along side of him and share the love and forgiveness of Christ.
ReplyDeletexoxo
I put myself in other's shoes as well and feel the hurt very deeply. However, my heart has been tugged for the men who came in second place in those seven races that Lance stole their first place. Those seven men who would have had the honor of bringing home the trophy and accolades to share with their families. Those seven men who would have made lots of money from endorsements. Those seven men who would have appeared on all those sports shows where the sports commentators would have heralded their praises. Those seven men whose names were never uttered by children looking up to them as their hero. I feel for them as they sit and watch Lance's mea culpa on OPRAH where he, AGAIN, gains national and international attention. I hurt for those men whose time has passed and who would have had all of this but not for one man who cheated. Forgive Lance, yes, if he genuinely asks for forgiveness. But I still hurt for those seven men who sit at home tonight, thinking of all they have lost...and that brings real tears to my eyes. I hope you don't think I am negating anything you have said because I treasure you and your thoughts and admire you greatly. I just have a heart for this situation for somebody else...those forgotten seven men whose names no one knows.
ReplyDeleteYes. The true winners. The unknown winners.
DeleteWhat a beautiful thing you did here. I am so glad I took the time to read your post. It's like Jesus said, he came for the sinners. Whether it's the neighbor or a celebrity, us! We're the same often. You have a kind heart. It also I think helps us remember how much lying can grab a serious hold on our lives and hurt people. There are so many lessons to be learned from this man's situation. Forgiveness, yes. Consequences, indeed. Our choices have so much weight. Wow.
ReplyDeleteAnd often we need to ask for help when we need it and not waiting too long. I like to think about how often Christ showed up in Lance's life already. We know He is at work in everyone's life. And now I will pray along with you, he can see his need for a God who can rebuild his life.
I love your new banner of pictures on your blog. Such talent!
you know the part that really got me was his boy.
ReplyDeletethe kids and i spent several years defending...and it is crushing to find out the truth and
you too are having to walk in the shame even though you had nothing to do with it and it wasn't your choice.
i, like you, am wired to walk in others shoes and i agree...that it has taught me ( after many years mind you) to have
compassion and know that i too...sin and i am no better.
honestly..that feeling creeps in..i would NEVER do that..but then we do other stuff. crazy flesh
i LOVE love your heart Becky...i think for your just to share from the overflow is such an encouragement to others. if you can do that with no pressure on yourself..then it is a gift.
that is what we love about you.
just your heart and HIS and everything else that flows from it. we all are in different stories...same feelings though. so it sharpens us to hear anothers story..we can take bits and pieces to use in ours.
wish i could squeeze ya today. it is rainy and depressing here. Khloey is sleeping so i am on the computer. i don't know how these moms do it with little ones...and blog? are you kidding?
i'd be institutionalized....xo
Praying with you for Lance's salvation and for his son and the humiliation he has suffered..I too, can so step inside of a person and feel their pain...my life is no better whether it is a public lie, gossip or whatever way I choose to sin. May God hover over this family and may they be drawn to Him! Thank you Becky, for taking the time to address this. Be blessed today!
ReplyDeleteYes. I coudn't agree more. Well said, Becky!
ReplyDeleteYou have said this so well, Becky. I am not a fan of Mr. Armstrong and he has certainly disappointed a lot of people, not to mention his own children, which is probably what is the most difficult thing for him. He's made his money, he would have excelled at his sport, even without the doping, he brought a lot of awareness with his Livestrong foundation, but facing his children will be his biggest challenge. Now he is learning humility and quite possibly the gift of forgiveness. Ann
ReplyDeleteVery nicely put Becky. God's forgiveness covers every person who will call upon him and receive HIS gift of salvation for eternity. Well said!! God bless you for speaking truth.
ReplyDeleteYour thoughts, your ability to place yourself in his shoes, amazes me. I was totally caught off guard by your post, but in a good, mindful way. After living with commentary from friends and the media for the past couple of weeks, I expected more of the same - judgement, disapproval, disappointment. But how right your perspective is. He is human. We all are human. None of us are without blemish. None of us should be the first ones to throw the stone. Let's make sure to pray, not judge. Love, not hate. Hope, not fester in the depth of his sins.
ReplyDeleteWell said my dear.
I haven't let myself think a whole lot about the whole Lance Armstrong thing...I think it's sad for all the people who looked up to him, but honestly, I agree with you, it could happen to ANY of us.
ReplyDeleteLoved reading your heart here.
Silly girl... Tebow was traded to the Jets- not the Giants. But you did get the "New York" part right!!!! :) Miss you!!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the cute new banner!!! :)
ReplyDeletei've gotten into the habit of reading your blog from my iphone and so i'm never sure if i've commented on your post or not... had to look this time. this is a great post. foregiveness is powerful, for sure. and i think trying to not judge someone harshly is difficult, too. we never know all the circumstances that lead to a person's decisions (speaking less of lance, and more of those people in our lives who disappoint us).
ReplyDeleteand forgiveness is difficult especially when it comes to forgiving one's self. that's a hard one. i know. :)
hope you're warm and enjoying your family this snowy weekend. xo
thanks for share.
ReplyDelete