Shawn Casselberry's Blog
Cracked Vessels / 02.20.10, 05:33 PM
We are all cracked vessels. That is what Dr. Cornel West said this past Sunday at St. Sabina Church. I was reminded of this again yesterday while watching the public apology by Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods gave a somber, sincere apology to his family, friends, fans, and business partners. He confessed to irresponsible behavior and selfishness. He expressed his deep regret over how his actions have hurt others and vowed to never repeat the mistakes. The part of his lengthy apology that really stood out to me was when he explained why he did what he did.
“I knew my actions were wrong. But I convinced myself that normal rules didn’t apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have far — didn’t have to go far to find them.”
This sounds like something right out of Ecclesiastes. Our Mission Year men’s group was studying Ecclesiastes this week and in it King Solomon shows similar remorse and regret as he looks back on his life.
“I said, ‘Come now, I will make a test of pleasure, enjoy yourself.’ But again, this also is vanity…I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards…I had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me…I gathered more silver and gold and the treasures of kings…I got singers, both men and women, and delights of the flesh, and many concubines…Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again all was vanity and a chasing after wind.” (Ecc. 2:1-11)
One thing we noted about the passage in Ecclesiastes is how often King Solomon used “I” and “my.” Notice in Tiger’s apology above how often he used “I” and “my” as well. We get into trouble when our life is focused on “I” and “my.” We are cracked vessels because we all naturally gravitate to satisfying our own selfish desires. When we seek our own welfare over the welfare of all, we easily fall prey to the vices and vanities of the world.
Community can help us shift focus from “I” and “me” to “us” and “we.” Community provides accountability so we can remember that leading lives of integrity and character are much more important and enduring than pursuing success and achievement. We all need someone to look us in the eyes (and “I”s) and tell us that we are getting off track and losing our focus. All of us need a community of accountability around us.
We have a lot to learn from Solomon and Tiger’s mistakes. Although we are all cracked vessels, we are much better off struggling together than struggling alone.
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