It’s hard not to like the jovial, upbeat, and entertaining tight end for the Tampa Bay Bucs, Rob Gronkowski. He’s always smiling and having a good time, and he’ll go down as one of the best to ever play his position.
Gronk retired after the 2018 season, but Tom Brady convinced his old teammate to join him after signing with the Bucs. Although he’s had a solid season and he hasn’t been injured, he recently admitted to a little offseason trickery he used on his strength and conditioning coach.
Over the summer, Gronk was expected to send a recorded video of his daily at-home workouts and he eventually came up with a shortcut after the process got “a little annoying.”
Gronk explains, “But then, I started tricking him. I would bring my shirt out, and then I would bring another shirt out, so when I’m running the sprints, I would film myself, like, 15 times for that session, that workout session. But I would run it in a couple different shirts — because you only had to send in, like, two or three reps — so that when the next time came, I didn’t have to film myself because I already filmed myself running in a different shirt every time on that one day.”
You may have already heard this story and most likely it was told with laughing and joking because it’s just “Gonk being Gonk,” right?
Even ESPN.com used this headline for their article about what he did: “How Rob Gronkowski Used Wardrobe Change to Have Fun With Bucs’ Virtual Workouts.”
But as funny and clever as it may be, and easily laughed off because Gronk still played well this year, played in every game, and admitted to what he did, the truth is, he misled and tricked his coach. Gronk made it appear like he was doing what was expected of him.
Instead of jumping all over Gronk today, I’d rather use this story as a challenge to evaluate our own lives. Are we pursuing integrity and honesty each day…or appearing to do something or be someone we’re not?
Are we looking for ways to cut corners? Are we tricking people to believe that something is true about us when it really isn’t? Are we actually struggling, but attempting to convince people into thinking everything is fine and things are as they appear?
Lying, taking dishonest shortcuts, and pulling a fast one on people by creating a false reality, is no laughing matter. This type of “fun” is sure to ruin our integrity and hurt us in the long run.
On the flip side, as followers of Jesus, we’re called to live a life of character, trustworthiness, and authenticity. We must rely on Him to empower us to do what’s right, do what we say we’re going to do, and be upfront and upstanding.
The books of Proverbs provides great wisdom on integrity, including the following verses:
“People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed” (Proverbs 10:9; NLT).
“Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways” (Proverbs 28:6; ESV).
“The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in those who tell the truth” (Proverbs 12:22; NLT).
Today, instead of celebrating trickery and lying about who we really are and what we’re really doing, let’s live in the light, seek the truth, and follow Jesus on the path of integrity.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I desire to live a truthful life and be a person of character. Please guide me on the path of integrity and help me be authentic and genuine. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
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In what ways have you laughed off cutting corners or tricking people into believing something that isn’t true about you?
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How have you seen integrity in action in your own life or the lives of others?
