Tiger Woods was voted Athlete of the Decade by the Associated Press this week. From 2000-2009, he has earned the title of the #1 Golfer of all time, with 64 worldwide titles including 12 major championships.

It is paradoxical that the same week he is honored for being the best golfer in the world, he is being judged as the worst husband and father in the world, by his wife and the press. How is it that a person can be so successful at what they do and so unsuccessful in who they are? I want to invite you to re-read or read my July 14, 2009 blog entitled The Paradox of Greatness in our blog archive under July.

I am not here to endorse nor to criticize Tiger Woods as a person. What I want to point out is some lessons we all can learn from Tiger…so here are a few Tiger lessons:

     1. There is a real devil and his goal is not just to get you to sin (miss the mark), his goal is to SHAME you.

Being the greatest golfer in the world or the greatest at anything for that matter does not shield you from Shame. People who do not have a moral compass, more importantly, a biblical world-view by which they live and govern their lives, are destined to be shamed on some level. Life does not work without boundaries. Relationships do not last without morals and our base nature is to excuse our behavior, judge others that we deem worse than ourselves so we make ourselves feel better, and to post blame when we make mistakes to protect our ego or perception that we hope others have of us.

The enemy of your soul knows who you are even if you don’t. The bottom line is he does not care about you, he cares about shaming God by shaming you. As a child of God, look at the potential that you have through God…and when you start living up to that potential, the devil’s goal is to prove to God he is right about being wrong and you are the pawn he uses as proof for his agenda.

Shame is the name of the devils game. No matter what you accomplish…no matter how much good you do…no matter if you give him credit or not…his ultimate goal is to shame you as a child of God and take the credit for what you destroy because of your sin. Sin is not the devils goal…he uses sin, to bring his goal of shame.

     2. The devil wants to destroy anything that is good for you or about you to tarnish any good influence you ever have had or will have.

"The thief (satan) does not come except to steal, kill and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Whether a person realizes it or not, God has a plan for every life and we are the children of God. The devil knows this and delights in people thinking it is their plan and they can do whatever they want.

As a person who knows anybody and everybody does, you have influence. Someone who chooses to be a father and husband or a mother and wife, must understand, that EVERY decision you make, affects the people you have chosen to do life with.

The enemy of your soul wants to use you to stain every person in your life by the decisions that you make that bring shame. Shame is never just about the shamed.

     3. Whatever discipline you have in one area, can make you great in any area.

Determinant Disciplines are those disciplines in our lives that can be applied to every area of our life. Beyond being naturally gifted in golf, what has made Tiger the best golfer in the world?

        * Intensity of focus

        * Relentless practice

Being a great husband and father requires the same things. Being great at anything requires the same things. It doesn’t have to be one or the other…career or family man/woman…you can be great at both!

     4. Have healthy Mercy, not perverted mercy.

Healthy Mercy is compassion you extend not because you understand or have been through what someone has been through, but Mercy is the generosity of God extended through an individual.

Perverted mercy is when you feel for someone because you have been through what they are going through and you only have mercy because you have gone through it. The fact is, Mercy is a gift we give, not because we have been there or have to go through what someone does to understand them. It is the job, not the option of the strong to restore the weak. I choose to have Mercy on Tiger, not because he is right or justified in what he has done, but because that is what Jesus did and does for me every day. Perverted mercy leads to codependent behaviors and fosters unhealthy relationships.

Jesus is merciful to us not because He has been through what we put ourselves through when we sin, but because He is strong enough through the power of His sinless life, to restore the weak. I want to restore people not judge them.

     5. The greater the greatness, the greater the temptation.

If you were the "best in the world…" If you were famous and highly sought after by everyone…If everywhere you went, people wanted to be with you, because it made them feel more important…If everyone you met knew you, but you did not know them…If everyone wanted a piece of you, to make the peace of them feel better…If you could have anything you wanted, anybody you wanted and nobody was telling you no…could you handle the temptation?

Whether you believe in God or the devil, here is what you can know. There is a war going on for your soul and at the end of every day it is about whether you stood for what is best, settled for second best or just chose the worst.

Just my thoughts…and lessons I am learning.

Keith