Steve McNair 1973-2009

I got a call from my daughter as I watched an Independence Day Parade that Steve McNair had been shot to death. Shock, disbelief, grief. Such a young man, a young husband, a young father. Yesterday evening, I did something a little different. I logged onto the internet to listen to the sports station in Nashville to hear the coverage in his home town. I listened to an interesting debate going on between the callers. While everyone agreed that the shooting was a tragedy, the debate regarded whether Steve McNair’s legacy would change because he was apparently killed by his mistress.
The “No” side of the argument was vehement and they was primarily based on the on variations of the theme, what Steve McNair did in private, was his own business.
I understand this argument and agree that we should not have private investigators outside celebrity’s homes waiting for a mistake or paparazzi perched like vultures waiting for a picture of a person’s most private moments. However…
If I have promised my wife, “to have and to hold, until death do us part”, but I break that promise, does that change your opinion of me? Do you admire a promise-holder equally with a promise-breaker? If your contractor promises to build your home to code, but then behind the drywall hides illegal wiring, would you have an issues with that? If you vote for a politician because he says that he will lower taxes or build a new school and then breaks that promise, do you feel cheated?
My heart is broken as I think that Steve McNair’s four children will grow up without their father. I am deeply grieved that his widow is left to deal with all of this news. I can’t conceive of what she is going through.
But I can’t help but notice that somewhere, we lost our admiration of character, faithfulness and integrity. And it spurs me on to finish well, for the glory of God, for my wife, my children and for my grandchildren. But my hope to finish well, is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness