Integrity
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.
Proverbs 10:9 (NRSV)
STORY
The Houston Astros defeated the Los Angels Dodgers in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. A contributing factor for the Astros victory was the stealing of signs from the opposing players by using hidden cameras. After an investigation that was completed in 2019, the team was fined $5 million and forced to forfeit its first and second round draft picks for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, though no players on the team faced any repercussions, aside from public fallout. The league did suspend general manager Jeff Lauhnow and manager A.J. Hinch for the 2020 season. Carlos Beltran, a right-handed pitcher and switch hitter for the Astros, was the leader of the sign stealing scheme and was implicated in MLB’s report, but he was never disciplined.
In another incident of cheating in baseball, it is the story of Alex Rodrigues. Rodrigues, the former New York Yankees star player, his field position being third base, who was a fourteen-time All-Star well as a three-time MVP. Rodrigues was suspended in 2014 after it was revealed that he used performance-enhancing drugs. He was initially given a 211 game suspension that was later reduced to 162 games, though it still cost him the entire season.
Retiring from baseball he became a baseball commentator. During a spring training broadcast on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, he shared with his audience what he learned from that experience. Of that incident Rodriguez said during his game commentary: “I served the longest suspension in Major League Baseball history. It cost me well over $35 million and, you know what? I deserved that and, as a result, I came back, I owned it after acting like a buffoon for a long time. I had my apologies and then I went dark. I wanted my next move to be contrite but I also wanted to go out and play good baseball and change my narrative and the way you change your narrative is you have to be accountable.”
Reflecting on the punishment that he received for his inappropriate behavior, Rodrigues shared his thoughts on the Astros cheating scandal. What concerned Rodrigues the most is the team’s lack of remorse for stealing the World Series from the Dodgers. Rodrigues said on the air to his listening audience, “I think the one thing that has really upset the fans is, you cheat, you win a championship, there is no suspension and there is no remorse. And the last one I think is probably the worst one because people want to see remorse. They want a real authentic apology and they have not received that thus far.”
Points to Ponder
Ø The book of Solomon’s wisdom, along with Deuteronomy and Leviticus, is probably one of the most overlooked books in the Bible. I find that each verse is a stand-alone statement on living an ethical life. Each verse provides enough food for thought that one could spend their entire morning prayer time meditating on just one verse. From this morning’s reading, why does living with integrity produce for you a secure life?
o For me: If I live a life that is obedient to the scriptures and if I am guided by the Holy Spirit, I will be able to avoid a lot of problems that are of my own making.
Ø If you live a life absent of integrity, why will you eventually be discovered?
o For me: Eventually everyone will be discovered because of the disconnect between what they say and what they do.
Ø How do you deal with your being judged for a misstep in life, while others seemingly go unscathed?
o For me: I must accept that life is unfair and evil people may prevail while living on earth. Though, we know as Christians, that no one will escape standing before the judgment seat of God.
Ø Why do people expect an apology from your violation of God’s commandment. Does an apology also require restitution?
o For me: The truly repentant sinner must attempt to right any wrong that he has done. I often feel that I can only grant someone forgiveness after he has repented and is engaged in an act of reconciliation and restitution.
Ø Where have you lacked integrity both publicly and privately?
o For me: Everyone violates integrity both publicly and privately. If I am to be a spiritual leader, I must be open and honest about my own sins, hoping that this will encourage my reader to be reflective. Publicly when I drink, I lose my inhibitions and send nasty text messages. I like to think that this is a different me, but drinking or sober I am packaged into one me. Privately, I sometimes embellish my stories from when I was a state trooper. I am the only who knows this, though it is still a violation of integrity.
Please share other Points to Ponder so I can update my list
Please share your thoughts with me – if you desire I will publish them for others to read anonymously or first name only or your entire name as you choose