Second Chances?

     It's a shame really.  So many of us don't believe in second chances.  You might be saying "WAIT! I absolutely do believe in second chances!" And you'd be wrong.  You don't.  You believe in third, fourth, fifth and more chances.  Because we don't screw up just once, it's multiple times.  And for most of us, we are granted another opportunity.  

   

      Sometimes, the action committed is serious.  Perhaps you've been in trouble with the law.  Now that you have a record, those chances become fewer and fewer.  You need more people in your corner to provide references for you. I was involved in a program that helped young men with second chances.  And we saw many of them take them and do something with their life.  I'm so thankful for people that took a chance with them.  I'm I'm even happier for those young men that didn't blow that chance and proved to others AND themselves that they are worth it.  

     But what if you do something so heinous that you go to jail?  I think because of the freedom we have in America it's easy to start wandering down the wrong road and end up in some serious trouble. It may take some significant recovery to bounce back, but I believe it's possible.  

     We all have done things or even do things that we are ashamed of.  We even most likely do things that if our employers or friends knew about, they'd think different of us.  So they remain secrets.  And those of you that claim Christianity, is anything bigger than God to forgive?  If one shows repentance and a desire to change, would God deny him?  NO.   So why do we? What do we have to worry about? 

      This post was influenced by the beginning of this years NFL season.  We have a player that is convicted of child abuse taking the field, many that were accused of rape, one that has been in jail for dog fighting, one that deflates his balls so he can hold them better (couldn't resist) and who knows what else the rest are hiding.  But we cheer them all on because that's our team.   Many Steeler fans are pissed that Mike Vick is playing for them.  But you aren't pissed at Big Ben?  Has Vick been anything but an upstanding citizen since prison?  Has he made any headlines showing former behavior still present?  Has he paid back all the money that was owed?  Did he do something incredibly wrong?  Yes.  Did he go to jail?  Yes.  Do you even know ANYTHING about him?  What a shame to only know people by their bad behavior.   I understand you may not like what he did, I certainly don't.  It's disgusting.  However, I've been given no evidence that he hasn't changed from his old ways.  That doesn't mean we have to be best friends, but I don't have to rip him a new one again and again and again.  As far as him still playing, for the professional quarterback standards of today, he's not that good.  He's not making a lot of money.  If he was still engaged in risky behavior he's not good enough to earn a spot on a team.  I'm not saying this in a condescending tone if you still don't like him.  I'm just asking that you'd consider actually learning about what he's been doing since and not judging his motives for doing so if you are going to talk about him.   I'm asking you to try to root for people to recover and change and give them space to do so.  Wouldn't that be awesome to see people change? 

     I would rather see someone trying to change and being given a second chance then hold a black cloud over their head forever.   If we all treated ourselves the same way we treat other people, the whole world would be black.   So lets give others a shot, since that's what we do for ourselves when we screw up.