People will let you down

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The famous cowboy humorist Will Rogers once said, "It's just as important to be reminded as it is to be educated." What I am going to share today is a subject that most of us already know, but one where we could all stand a little reminding.

Over the past several months, we have had a good number of high-profile sports celebrities fall from grace, because of sexual sins. While we certainly should not, we have come to expect that from politicians, but when it happens to a much revered sports figure the American people literally idolize, it hurts and is very disappointing. It hurts because millions of our children look up to these people.

When I mentioned writing this column to a friend he said, "Are you going to call names?" I said "No" for two reasons - first, most people who care and are affected already know who they are, and second, out of respect for their families. To me, the families are the real victims. In most cases, the wife and children of the male sports celebrity who falls from grace had nothing whatsoever to do with their demise. Now, I know that is painting with a pretty broad brush, but that is really not the point I want to get across here. Millions of us put these people up on a pedestal because of their great talent and athletic skills and not because of their personal character and integrity.

We need to hold those in the limelight to a higher standard because they are role models, whether they like it or not. However, we the American people need to keep things in perspective. These people are human, too, just like the rest of us and we need to be reminded that "Ppeople will let you down."

While not in the sports realm, I am reminded of the story of the minister who requested that his elders be his pallbearers. When asked why, he said, "Because I want them to let me down one more time." Again, a simple heartfelt reminder that when any person that you love, admire, respect and even idolize lets you down, just remember that they are human, too, and frail, emotionally and spiritually needy human beings will often let us down.

There is only one person in this world that has never let me down, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. I have let Him down many times, but He has never let me down. The Bible says that "All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God." Note that it does not say "some" have sinned, but "all" have sinned and fallen short of His Glory. When it comes to sports celebrities and winning, many people do not care about character and integrity, because they just want to win, or see their hero win, especially if they are a gambler. Again, what kind of message does this send to our young people? It's a question only you can answer.

While this is personal, I can tell you that for most of my life I was just a church member and not really a born-again Christian, and Satan sifted me like wheat. However, when I accepted the Lord in 1984, I started a practice of reading the entire Bible through once a year. Just recently I finished my 25th time all the way through, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, and what a journey this has been. During my early morning devotionals and all these years of praying and reading the Bible, I came to understand the real meaning of a special verse in Psalms 119:11, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you."

Not everyone will accept and believe what I have said here and that is not really my purpose. I just want to remind you that often the people you love the most, will let you down.

Jim Davidson is a public speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034. To begin a bookcase literacy project visit www.bookcaseforeverychild.com. You won't go wrong helping a needy child.