In watching the final round of the Farmer’s Insurance Open yesterday, I naturally could not help but note Tiger’s very poor finish. Combine that with the fact that I check ESPN.com too much and I know all the details of his play. Now add the fact that the ESPN golf page actually has a ‘Tiger Tracker’ page that I just found and well, I have way too many opportunities to learn about Tiger (note that the Tiger Tracker is actually in the header of the ESPN golf page…amazing).

Anyhow, Tiger finished poorly yet again, making his fall from the highest heights even greater. In revisiting his story, two realities came to mind, two realities we do well to consistently remind ourselves of.

1) Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

During his ordeal, or whatever you want to call it, Tiger himself admitted to selfishness and pride. He admitted to believing that he was semi-untouchable. But the truth caught up with him and he took quite a fall, a very large fall that continues to this day. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, because we are all more prideful than we know, but the truth is timeless. Humility is best.

2) You can’t rely on your pride to free yourself from pride.

If you remember his big news conference after everything came to light, you will recall that Tiger, though humbled, was very firm in his determination to fix things by doing the right things from that point forward. I won’t give the exact quotes, but he said things like, “I take full responsibility for my actions…I will return to my roots and do what I must to be the kind of man I ought to be.”

It probably sounded good to most folks, but the problem is that he really never humbled himself at all, at least not in a God-centered sense. Instead, he simply redirected his pride and became more determined to fix things and make things right in his own power. Sure, he enlisted help in one form or another, but in the end, he was still in control of the process. It was all still reliant on him and his self-determination to do what he ought or to become what he always should have been. That was obvious in both his words and general attitude (not to mention his history).

From a biblical perspective, this is a terrible way to live. Indeed, it is an impossible way to live. For it exchanges one form or slavery for another form of slavery, while never dealing with sin at its root. It is a form of repentance, but not the kind of repentance that leads to life (2 Corinthians 7:10). Rather than bringing freedom from self by looking to a Savior, all you do is dig your hole deeper by looking to your self even more. Sure, you may look better on the outside in the end by doing better outward actions, but inside, well, you are even more of a mess.

In that respect, I recall the comments of Fox News commentator Brit Hume who, after the Tiger scandal started, said (in effect), “I believe the one thing Tiger needs to do is repent and put his faith in Jesus Christ, for that is the only way he will find true forgiveness and freedom.” Naturally he was ridiculed by everyone who believes everyone is entitled to their beliefs only as long as they fall in line with their own, but in all seriousness, if he is a Christian, how could he believe anything less? For from a biblical perspective, it is the only adequate answer. Not only that, but if you have experienced the power of that forgiveness and freedom yourself, it is the only thing you can honestly say.

And after seeing him fall yet again on the golf course, I cannot help but pray that he would come to believe the same. Not so that he might be at his best on the golf course (though that might be a by-product of that freedom if rightfully understood, and one I would love to see), but so that he might have life and have it abundantly and forever.