I loved hearing the tale and the way it played out: a local newscaster decided to shoot a video of Williams, a beggar on the side of the road with a sign saying he had a golden voice for radio but needed another chance. The newscaster's hope was that someone would see the video and respond. And respond they did. The vid went viral, being seen by millions, and job offers came pouring in. Overnight Ted went from nothing to over-the-top possibilities...and a new start.
There were a few things that stood out to me as I read and watched the stories that unfolded. I was impressed with the motivation of the man who made the video. He had nothing to gain from this act, except the knowledge that he did something good for someone in need. And I thought how much better our world would be if more of us determined to do good to those in need, not for personal profit, but simply because it's the right thing to do.Then there was the remark Williams made to Matt Lauer, when asked what he would tell us about the homeless. He told him that we shouldn't assume the worst about the homeless, but should discover their stories, because everyone has a story and it needs to be told. And we need to listen.
Finally, in the outpouring of support people offered, many claimed that Williams deserved a second chance. Evidently, the fact that he had a gifted voice made people think he was entitled to another shot. Truth is, he deserved to be exactly where he was. Williams was an alcoholic and drug addict, had run afoul of the law, was a public nuisance, and was estranged from his family. His lifestyle and poor choices had run his life aground, and he ended up where he deserved. Did he deserve more than the next guy because he had a great set of pipes? What if he had no special gift, but was simply "ordinary?" Would he deserve less? No, the story isn't about being deserving, but rather about giving grace. And grace is a gift given freely, not to the deserving, but to those who don't deserve. That's life's story for us, as we stand before God, isn't it? What He gives us is a gift- His grace. And that grace- favor granted to those who don't deserve it- is the difference-maker in our lives.Does Ted Williams deserve another chance? Hardly, since deserving is what you get for what you do. But should he be given the grace to have another opportunity do right, to be right? Absolutely. Our culture is built on that kind of thinking. More importantly, that's the way God chose to deal with us, granting us grace for another chance even though we deserved less. Much, much less.
I'm happy for Ted. Happy for us. Because with grace, everyone wins. And that sounds great, doesn't it?
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