By now, probably most people have heard of what a broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team said live on air. He made an anti gay remark after coming back from a commercial break and didn't realize that his microphone was live. He was promptly removed from the broadcast booth and subsequently suspended by the Reds. This broadcaster also calls games for the NFL for Fox Sports. He has since been removed from their broadcasting lineup for this year.
I understand the backlash against this guy. What he said was definitely inappropriate and wrong, but let's remember, he is not perfect. In fact, none of us are. There isn't a person who walks this earth that is perfect in everything that they do. No matter what it is. Speech, actions, lifestyle, etc. etc. We all fall short.
Romans 3:23 New Living Translation
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
This verse says that "all" fall short. Not just this guy who did this or that guy who said that. We all fall short. Let's be honest. If we all had a 'hot' mic in our cars or in our houses, how many of us would get fired for things that we said that weren't appropriate? More than likely, most of us. Everyone is quick to point out his sin, but how many of us have done the same thing?
Matthew 7:3-5 The Message
7 1-5 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
To be transparent here. I used to be the king of that kind of talk. I've said things to people and about people that I am not proud of. That was in my BC (before Christ) days. When I accepted Jesus, one of the first things that He worked on was my corrupt speech and bad language. Not going to lie here. When I get heated I may still utter a curse word or two. I still get angry and irritated, but I'm also still a work in progress.
Colossians 3:8 The Message
5-8 And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn’t long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it’s all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.
So maybe we cut this broadcaster a little slack. Let him serve his punishment and face what he has done, but give him a second chance. The God that I serve is a God of second chances. Look what happened to Peter after he denied even knowing Jesus three times. God used him to build His church upon. That's quite the second chance in my book. Then take a look at our own lives. God pulled us out of the muck and the mire that we were living in and set us on firm foundation, which is Christ.
Ephesians 4:32 New International Version
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Amen!
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