Lance Lied

I am almost fifty years old. For most of my adult life I have been disappointed by preachers, politicians, and professional athletes who lied. Maybe I shouldn’t have put them on such a pedestal to begin with. But I did.

Lance Armstrong has evidently lied about his use of performance enhancing drugs. Who cares that he lied to me and millions of others? Who cares that he lied to fellow athletes, journalists who tried to get an honest interview, and reporters from ESPN, CNN, etc… What bothers me more than the lies to the world are the lies he must have told to his family…his children…his wife. And he not only lied to his family – he lied to himself. What a terrible way to live. I guess it could be said he was living a lie.

Before I get too prideful, too confident, and too full of myself – Let me be the first to admit that I am just as prone to lies, deception, and inconsistency as anyone. I thank God that over the years I have had people who didn’t mind getting in my face…getting in my business so to speak, and loving me enough to tell me what I was doing was wrong, dangerous, or just plain stupid.

Someone probably tried to talk to Lance Armstrong. There were those who probably warned him about the consequences of taking such drugs. But he didn’t listen. I wonder how many people have thrown away their “Live-Strong” bracelets since the news of his lying began to spread?

I can learn from this. I am a pastor of a church with over a thousand members. I preach and teach in churches across the southeast. I have an audience, much smaller than Armstrong’s, but an audience nonetheless. I must guard about being the least bit deceptive. Who knows, I may be a role model to some young fella out there who looks up to me. Who knows, there may be someone in my church who feels like I’m one of his only friends. Who knows who all I would disappoint if I became deceptive – and was eventually exposed as a liar…

Most of all I need to learn again the importance of being honest with the ones who love me the most – my wife and children. And I need to learn again the importance of being honest with the man I see in the mirror each morning.

Lance is gonna tell it all on Oprah. I wish he wouldn’t. I wish he would just issue a statement saying he lied and then go home and be a father to his children and a husband to his wife. The world doesn’t need to hear it all on Oprah.

Lance lied. And, we can learn from his mistakes....Don’t lie to God…Don’t lie to others…Don’t lie to yourself. And, if you do…please don’t go on Oprah and tell the world.

MM