thefinishline 03/02/10
The Life of a Professional Athlete: What Does it Take to Stay Faithful?
by Shawn Brown
“…for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Athletes are no exception. With the recent statement of Tiger Woods, I can’t help but to pose the question, “What does it take for professional athletes (Christian or not) to stay faithful to their wives?”
I understand that in our world, men in general have it hard because we are constantly bombarded with images of half naked women in almost every direction we look. So for most men, the thought of sex is constantly on the mind. But for pro athletes, they are constantly surrounded by women that most men only see on a billboard or in a magazine. They face an entourage of women as soon as they arrive at the ball park, stadium, or arena. Some athletes even have women waiting at their hotels for them to return. And let me be clear, the women that are waiting for these athletes are some of the most beautiful women on the planet.
With all of that said, again I pose the question, “What does it take for professional athletes to stay faithful?” Is it worth risking the life they’ve built for themselves and their families for one night with a complete stranger or many nights with someone that is not their wife? When an athlete cheats on his wife or any public figure, for that matter, it usually ends the same way. Once they’ve been caught, a press release or conference is sure to follow with an apology to their spouse and to the fans and a statement about how disappointed they are with themselves for allowing it to happen. This has been an issue for the longest time.
When a young player joins a pro league he usually goes through some sort of orientation to prep him for his career as an athlete. But is enough time spent on keeping their marriages in order if they were to take that step? Should it be the organizations responsibility to give the athlete those resources? One thing is certain, without a relationship with Jesus Christ, and the accountability that comes with that, it is going to be much more difficult. I had a friend of mine who told me that when joined a pro league, in order to stay faithful to his girlfriend and future wife, he roomed with another player when they were on the road. His story took me to a new level of respect for him because he knew what the challenge was, he acknowledged it, and took action against it so that he would not fall. Could it be that that’s the answer…a faith that keeps one accountable?
“…for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Athletes are no exception. With the recent statement of Tiger Woods, I can’t help but to pose the question, “What does it take for professional athletes (Christian or not) to stay faithful to their wives?”
I understand that in our world, men in general have it hard because we are constantly bombarded with images of half naked women in almost every direction we look. So for most men, the thought of sex is constantly on the mind. But for pro athletes, they are constantly surrounded by women that most men only see on a billboard or in a magazine. They face an entourage of women as soon as they arrive at the ball park, stadium, or arena. Some athletes even have women waiting at their hotels for them to return. And let me be clear, the women that are waiting for these athletes are some of the most beautiful women on the planet.
With all of that said, again I pose the question, “What does it take for professional athletes to stay faithful?” Is it worth risking the life they’ve built for themselves and their families for one night with a complete stranger or many nights with someone that is not their wife? When an athlete cheats on his wife or any public figure, for that matter, it usually ends the same way. Once they’ve been caught, a press release or conference is sure to follow with an apology to their spouse and to the fans and a statement about how disappointed they are with themselves for allowing it to happen. This has been an issue for the longest time.
When a young player joins a pro league he usually goes through some sort of orientation to prep him for his career as an athlete. But is enough time spent on keeping their marriages in order if they were to take that step? Should it be the organizations responsibility to give the athlete those resources? One thing is certain, without a relationship with Jesus Christ, and the accountability that comes with that, it is going to be much more difficult. I had a friend of mine who told me that when joined a pro league, in order to stay faithful to his girlfriend and future wife, he roomed with another player when they were on the road. His story took me to a new level of respect for him because he knew what the challenge was, he acknowledged it, and took action against it so that he would not fall. Could it be that that’s the answer…a faith that keeps one accountable?