“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches……”
(Proverbs 22:1, KJV)
Should Michael Vick be allowed to play pro football again? This question is storming the airways and water coolers like lightening across the ocean.
Dialogue with others on thoughts being said about Michael Vick. We don’t have to judge him guilty as he did that himself. But, forgive him enough to let him work at his skill and make big mega bucks playing pro football again seems to be the real question being asked. He is guilty so he does not deserve the big money NFL football players make? He is guilty even after he has served his time in prison and paid his penalty? And, he should not be allowed to work at his craft again. It seems by the words of some coaches he is a talented man. He has been gifted with the talent to throw a football with great skill. Vick was interviewed on 60 minutes last night and asked some very hard questions, and he answered. But, is he believable? What do we think as Christians?
Hard thoughts and questions, I think? Some of my thoughts are?
“Jesus has suggested to us when we pray to God the Father to ask him to forgive us by the same measure that we have forgiven others.
We should hold on to these promises as we struggle to dole out forgiveness, mercy and peace to others, If we forgive, our heavenly Father will also forgive us. We must forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. If we desire to find mercy with God, we must show mercy to others. Jesus Christ came into the world as the Peace-maker to reconcile us to God, and to one another.”
What are your thoughts and reasons on…Should Michael Vick be allowed to play pro football again?
thedailylily.com 
While I’d like to think that the sin in my life is not as bad, as what Vick did….. in God’s eyes, according to James 4:17, I can even “not do” something that I’m suppose to do, and to me it is sin. (sin is sin) I sure want God’s forgiveness, for the sin in my life, as I pray that Vick does.
Sara, you have asked “should Michael Vick be allowed to play pro football again?” To be truthful, I have not followed this story closely, and I don’t know enough to really elaborate on it. Just off the top of my head, isn’t he the one who allowed the dog fights? (animal cruelty? for money?)
Yes Needles, you are right. He pleaded guilty, served 2 years and free now. He has repented, and wants to serve the Lord according to him. One of his mentors is former Super Bowl winning Colts coach Dungy, who is a Christian.
I understand Vick has signed to play with the Eagles. He is committed to community work and working with the animal humane society to help young people understand cruel treatment of animals is wrong, very wrong.
I hope all things work for good in his life and he uses his talent, finances and name to change many lives for good. And, the lives of animals that have and are being mistreated.
Only God knows for sure if Michael Vick is truely has changed and repentant of his sin. Jusst as only God knows for sure when we are truly repentant.
God knows the heart of man. Many say they are repented of their sins but are as a dog who returns to their own vomit (sin). We all sin and fall short of what God wants in our lives. The bible is full of stories of men and women who have fallen short. Saul is one such character in the bible who killed and stood by and watched Stephen die by stoning (Acts 8:1). He also attacked many other Christians), He was converted on the road to Damacus – preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and brought many into the Kingdom.
We hope Michael Vick is truly repentant and will go on with his life. We would hope that God has done a work in his life and that the valley of sin he participated in hopefully caused a repentance and change in his life to do good to animals, standing up for what is right, and moving onto the path of the Lord has called HIM to. We have been forgiven much by the Lord Jesus Christ. Like Tammy I pray that Michael Vick wants God’s forgiveness too not just the players, coaches, and patrons.
Play football! As I watched him on 60 minutes he said all the right words. Whether he is truely repentant only God knows the heart of man. Forgiving him we give him a second chance as Christ has given us. With money and recognition he has a chance to make a difference for animals! Working with the Humane Society will help him continue in the right direction towards animals. Return to same lifestyle, The community and God will deal with him again.
Sara,
That is good that he has committed to working with the animal humane society. But you asked should he be allowed to play pro football again? Well, maybe it would not be a bad idea, if he did and he could share some of that “big” money with the animal humane society? What do you think?
My thoughts are that Michael Vick should be allowed to work at the profession that he spent many years of his life involved in and my hope and prayer is that he will use his finances and repentant/changed lifestyle to positively influence others for the kingdom of God.
This biblical account from John 8:1-11 came to my mind to influence my thoughts on this because my name and sins, though now forgiven, would have been wriiten on the ground by the finger of Jesus.
“1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11″No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
I was rereading some of the comments here and I reread Sara’s comment above: “I hope all things work for good in his life and he uses his talent, finances, and name to change many lives for good. And, the lives of animals that have and are being mistreated.” Maybe, I didn’t read this as closely as I should have, before I posted my question above?
I think he should be allowed to play pro football with oversight and mentoring. If he choses to go back into his old life then out the door he should go. We do have young children and adults that look to athletes and others as a standard they would like to follow. We all make mistakes and do wrong things at times. Therefore, we all deserve a second change and restoration.
I also think it is important for adults to know and understand what is going on so they can explain to children that Michael Vick has paid a high price for his wrong. He has lost lots of money as well as serving time in prison. I understand he will not receive anywhere near the money or privileges he had before he left football because of his bad actions.
In the Gospel story of the “women taken in adultery” Jesus did not condemn her but forgave her and advised and counseled her to “go and sin no more.” The rest of the story was up to the woman, accused, indicted to be judged but finally forgiven. Would she truly “go and sin no more? I hope that was the case. One would think that if you had an encounter with the living God, standing before Him and He exonerated you, He forgave you…. then that would be the life changing moment, your pentecost.
Yet we who are born again have had the same spiritual encounter with Christ Jesus if we are TRULY born again. We have stood before God, accused and rightly so, amd we have been forgiven all and admonished to go and sin no more, and given the power to do so by the Holy Spirit. The rest is up to us as to how to conduct our lives. Jesus told us to choose life.
It’s our choice. He has given us every spiritual power in the Holy Ghost to live our lives as unto God. Will we do it?
‘Money vs Character’ seems to say to me that there can a tug of war going on between the two and which will win. Money used and given wisely in accordance with God’s principles is vital and does much to ensure that God’s kingdom is advanced. The motive of why we want money and what we want to do with the money probably affects whether the money controls us and therefore negatively influences our character or whether we allow the Holy Spirit to control the money through us for positive.
Having money is not evil but whether we love the money more than we love the will of God for the use of the money.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
I Tim 6:6-10
Matthew 6:15 “But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Luke 6: 37 ” Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”
Philippians 3:13 “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”
All sin separates us from God. Whether it is a little lie or murder. Sin is sin. Jesus said whoever is without sin cast the first stone. I can tell you that I can’t cast a stone. We are so quick to say we forgive but we can’t forget. This is truly not forgiving. We shouldn’t forgive with terms. We shouldn’t say I will forgive, if……. or I will forgive, but……… When we are forgiven God remembers it no more. God knows our hearts. God knows Michael Vick’s heart. Whether he is sincere or not, that’s between Michael and God. He is accountable for his own actions and I am accountable for mine. This is the case no matter what. Luke tells me not to judge Micheal. Philippians tells me to forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead. I am not the judge. Saul murdered Christians and God used him and changed his name to Paul. I agree that we need to continue to pray for Michael. I think Michael should be allow to play football.
We can forgive the person, but we can not forgive sin.
Good point chickenfarmer,”He is accountable for his own actions and I am accountable for mine.” To stop wasting time focusing on others wrongs and neglecting to take care of our own makes the most sense.
I think we need to be aware of wrong and judge the sin wrong and the person(s) should be able to deal with their wrong in an appropriate way. Others should know publicly about the wrong and the one that did the wrong should be accountable for it.
I think we should expose it.
Chickenfarmer, are you talking about examples like unto, if a friend wronged you in some way and came to you and asked you to forgive them for the wrong they did to you that we have a choice to forgive them or just go on holding a grudge against them?
Yes, Sara I was talking about that and I kinda of lost my train of thought while typing this comment. I was wrong when I said “We are quick to say we forgive but we can”t forget. That’s truly not forgiving….” We are humans and we will remember when we were wronged. So unless we have some type of medical condition, we will not forget. We just have to stay in close relationship with the Lord and allow Him to help us control our mind and not to focus on hurt from another. We need to focus on Jesus and not someone else sin. When I say this , I don’t mean need to stink our head in the sand. We definately don’t need to condule our sin or someone else. When we see someone sinning, we need to get on our knees and pray for them and for our own. The reason that God can forgive sins and remembers them no more, is God knows our hearts and He knows if we are sincere or not. I agree with Sara in saying Michael Vick should be allowed to play football again, but only if he plays a year or two under a probation period, where he has mentors and counselors so he get the help he needs. If something like this happens again, he shouldn’t be allowed to play, but if goes out on that field and he proves that he is sincere about doing what’s right, he should be allowed to continue to play. Even Saul/Paul had to prove his heart to others, in ACTS. Acts 9:19-22 “…..Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying “He is indeed the Son of God!” 21All who heard him were amazed, ” Isn’t this the same same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked, “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?” 22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.” I appologize about any confusion of what I wrote above. Thank you Sara for helping me clear this up.
Thanks Chickenfarmer…blogging gives each of us an opportunity to write, evaluate, dialogue and really search our thinking and actions.
We have quoted Isaiah’s words recently, ” …if we be willing and obedient we shall eat the fruit of the land.” But, let’s examine how we become willing and obedient, my favorite part of the verse…Isaiah 1:18 (NCV) “The Lord says,
“Come, let us talk about these things.
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they can be as white as snow.
Though your sins are deep red,
they can be white like wool.
19 If you become willing and obey me,
you will eat good crops from the land.
20 But if you refuse to obey and if you turn against me,
you will be destroyed by your enemies’ swords.”
The Lord himself said these things.”
Love you Wendy, you talked by blogging and reasoned with your thoughts and the thoughts of others and made adjustments. Truth was and is supreme to you. I pray you are blessed with good in your life and the life of your family.