Thursday, April 2, 2009

Michael Vick Post-Jail

I went to Virginia Tech - Go Hokies! - during Michael Vick's collegiate career and was blessed to see him play. True grace in motion. His NFL career was highlighted with potential yet saddled with bursts of mediocrity. With that said, nothing can justify the cruelty to animals for sport. He fell, and Hokies were sickened.

Anyways, Vick is set to get out of jail soon, and according to this article, he is still looking to pursue his NFL career. But immediately following his release, until he is re-instated back into the NFL I presume, Vick will work a construction gig, 40-hours a week, $10 an hour.

3 comments:

Mandy said...

Mitch is VERY unhappy about this.

Darren Staley said...

While I am a carnivore I have little tolerance for the abuse of domesticated animals. It borders on child abuse in my opinion.

That said, if you do the crime and do the time you should have every opportunity to return to your field (no pun intended) of expertise.

For that reason I will not boycott or be upset if Vick returns to the NFL. I do hope, however, that he uses his celebrity and wealth to advocate the humane treatment of animals.

A faithful Reader said...

A person who has fallen so far in public opinion - from almost royalty in his college days to being refused physical labor positions after release from prison - is in need of the same amount of grace that any other person of lesser fame deserves from a loving God and a loving people of faith. That said, the case of Michael Vicki is another in a long list of failures by famous people. The grace given to him should not be cheap grace -- do the crime, do the time, everything is forgotten. But rather grace born out of repentance. Luke 12:48 perhaps says it best "From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded."

Michael Vicki was given much because of his ability. He was a role model, a person admired. Much was expected of him, and because he was entrusted with so great an amount of wealth and fame, more was demanded of him. He failed and a loving merciful God surely has forgiven him, if Michael Vick chose to ask for forgiveness.

The cost of grace will be contrite behaviors. Like all of us, Michael Vick must acknowledge his wrong and not expect the fame and fanfare to return easily. He has to prove he is worthy, in human eyes, to be returned to his former status. It may not come soon. It may not come at all - each year the universities graduate (or let go) new younger "stars."

The glory days are over, and being the back-up QB for one of the "lessers" in the NFL may be where his road back may begin. All people deserve a second chance. I hope that Michael Vick will accept his second chance with it a more humane approach to God's creation.