Tiger Woods, one of the greatest athletes of all time, has a huge following of fans who flock to see him and pull for him to play well.

With The Masters starting today, and Tiger returning to competitive shape physically and mentally, fans everywhere can’t wait to see what he does this weekend.

Of course, Tiger Woods’ story can’t be told without factoring in his tremendous downfall. At the height of his golf career when fans were enthralled by his Sunday performances, we found out the truth of his off-the-course behavior.

The man we were rooting for turned out to be very different from who he really was, and left fans extremely disappointed. Because of the unique connection between a fan and an athlete, we were hurt and had mixed feelings about our favorite golfer and his transgressions.

For many years people were critical while questioning if Tiger’s revealed lifestyle would hold him back from ever returning to his elite position in professional golf. However, as he slowly emerges back to contention, there are glimpses of hope he’ll once again compete at a high level.

As devastated as fans were about Tiger’s collapse on and off the course, their “fan love” allowed them to eventually forgive him. Surprisingly, many people have put his past behind and are back on the bandwagon cheering him on to win The Masters.

Sports fans do a tremendous job of forgiving athletes and giving them a second chance (or more). We don’t want to remain hurt and discouraged, but would rather support them on their rise back up. We eventually let go of our bitterness and continue supporting our favorite athletes.

Unfortunately, we aren’t always as forgiving with those we have personal relationships with. Of course, we’re more impacted by those we’re close to (as opposed to golfers we watch on TV), but the process of forgiveness is still the same. It requires love, grace, and a willingness to put the past behind.

Ultimately, when we understand the love, grace, and forgiveness God has shown us through Jesus, we can more willingly forgive others. If we acknowledge the depth of our own sin and how a perfect God welcomes us despite our past, we can choose to forgive those who cause us pain.

In Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT), Jesus clearly tells us the importance of forgiveness: “’If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.’”

Today, as many of us turn on The Masters and allow our fandom to forgive and cheer for Tiger (in spite of his checkered past), let’s allow God’s grace and love to help us continuously give and receive forgiveness.

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you so much for the forgiveness You continually show me, and for giving me the ability to leave the past behind. Please help me understand the importance of forgiving others, and give me the strength to let go and show them grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.