You, Gurley, and Chubb Have Something in Common

This article is not about Todd Gurley in any way.  It applies equally to all of us.  But, let me use last week's story about Todd Gurley allegedly accepting money for autographing memorabilia as the springboard.

One of the most ignorant statements I saw last week after the story came out, and Gurley was subsequently suspended, was made by one of the most die-hard Dawg fans in the land, and it said this: "In Chubb We Trust."

Now, it may have simply been a supportive remark to help rally the Bulldog Nation around the freshman tailback, who was named the starter for this past weekend's game.  But, it hit me a bit differently.  Todd Gurley, as far as we have known, has been a terrific example to many both on and off the field. Until last week, Todd Gurley was probably the Heisman front-runner. He is a hard worker. He serves the community.  He visits sick kids in the hospital. He is humble.  He is a great teammate.

But, here's the truth about Gurley: he is human.  He made a mistake.  He made them before he signed memorabilia for money.  He will make more mistakes.

And, here's another bit of truth: Nick Chubb is also human.  He has made mistakes, and he will make many in the future.  Hopefully, he won't make the mistake Gurley made (or another NCAA or team violation), but he will mess up some time in his life.  Maybe not at UGA - but somewhere down the road.  We all do.

So, to say, "In Chubb We Trust" just didn't seem right to me.  How can we place our trust in another human being, just hours after we discover what Gurley had done?  Why would we want to?

Matt Chandler, in his book The Explicit Gospel, talks about how we, as fallen creatures, always seem to look in the wrong places when we are trying to find pleasure and satisfaction in this life.

"The majority of human beings believe that people and circumstances exist to make them happy," he writes. "We believe the brokenness inside will be satisfied by things outside.  If we're not happy, who's to blame?  People and circumstances.  Do you see how this doesn't even make sense - broken people expecting broken people to fix them or expecting good things to do God things for them? It's a ridiculous notion, if we can think rightly about it."

We are all broken, sinful people.  You are. I am.  So, if we are all in this quandary together, why do we look to have faith or hope in one another? If the transmission in my car goes out, do I want to swap it for a vehicle that is missing an engine? Of course not. I want to find something more reliable, something safer that can get me where I need to go.

If you continue to put your hope (or happiness) in people, your life will look a lot like the Scream Machine roller coaster.  You'll subject yourself to high highs, low lows, dips, turns, and you will get jerked around.  

But, there is an alternative.  The true Life Giver is always there for us to guide, protect, and comfort us.  And, He alone can fill our hearts with the joy for which we so desperately search.

In God We Trust.