The Brokenness of Humanity: A Sandusky Story




In the book of Genesis, the world was created perfectly and man was in perfect relationship with God. Honesty, harmony, peace, and abundance without greed were all part of this world.  Then, of course, something happened as this is no longer the world we live in today.  This is what is termed "The Fall".

From the beginning, man was equipped with choices, for true love does not force its hand.  For instance, in a marriage between two people, the power of this union lies in the choice made by these individuals to love and commit to each other as opposed to facing such an opportunity with obligation.  A love that chooses is much more pure, free, beautiful, and genuine.

Getting back to "The Fall", Adam and God had many years of relationship together.  God asks Adam to name all the animals before He pulls one of Adam's ribs to make a woman.  Estimates say that based on the diversity of life that was in the jungle of Eden at that time, Adam was "alone" with God for about 50 years in order to name all of the animals and plants (Genesis 2:19-20).  Therefore, Adam and God must have been pretty close.  But yet again, something happened.

The free choice to love also brought the free choice to disobey.  At one point in the Genesis story, Adam (with some outside influence) betrays his 50+ year relationship with God by disobeying His only command: not to eat from the tree that would grant man's ability to know good and evil, just as God does in heaven.  Unfortunately, man was not equipped to handle such power to know good and evil and it is here that we learn three things.  First, man will always seek power even if it a perilous journey.  Second, man was not equipped to handle such power and may often experience fallout in his pursuit. And finally, man will sin no matter the greatness of God's provision.

The first and second points can feed into the third, and it is this statement that has made our world a tough place to live.  On the one hand we live in a world filled with the beauty of God's creation that includes sunsets, rainbows, and honeybees.  On the other hand we also live in a world filled with man's sins that include greed, pride, and hate.  These only name a few, but sin creates such a divide between our relationship with God as well as hurting our relationships with those around us on the earth.

So with that knowledge of sin, my alma mater has been faced with a predicament that relates to the sin of an individual.  Jerry Sandusky has recently been convicted of very disturbing sins that create a divide between his relationship with God and have far-reaching effects on those communities around him.  It even caused others to sin around him, as brought up by Penn State Cru's campus leader, Tim Henderson, in his "Love Notices Wet Hair" series.  In short, Sandusky's actions spurred forward other actions by other people that further did not reflect Christ's love thus making the world a sea of sin, but none of which is not redeemable through Christ alone.  There were choices that were made, choices that did not include those of "love" and it is here that we can find that "The Fall" is especially ugly.

The situation is frustrating for many: parents of children, affiliates of Penn State, and defenders of justice.  These actions should have never happened, but the world is broken and people make choices.  Sandusky can go nearly no place in this world without being accepted.  Even in prisons, fellow inmates do not take kindly to these types of sins and often harass criminals like Sandusky, even to death.

He now sits in solitary confinement with only a few things to keep him company.  However, among these few things, is a prayer book.  He needs an escape from the realities of sin and from the world that no longer accepts him, and it sits in his lap.  Sandusky may never again be right with the world, but he does have a hope to be right with God.  These sins are too tough to bear in the earthly realm, but Jesus came with a purpose.  Through the faith of His followers, he redeems the lives of sinners and restores the lives of victims.

"The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair" -Relient K

It is in these moments that grace and power surpass my understanding.  My response is one of awe at simply how large my God is that reigns sovereign and provides light even in the darkest of times.  How do I feel about the possibility of a person of such sins being a fellow co-habitant in eternal life?  Yes, a little uneasy.  However, I am consoled by the fact that God is very protective of Heaven and He will not let any sin into this realm.  Therefore, I may never meet Sandusky on earth, but if his faith gets him to Heaven, he will be unlike the man that we all know today.  He will be pure and spotless, scrubbed clean by the sacrificed Son.  This is a miracle that can be achieved by no man, for no man holds or can handle this power.  I worship a God of second chances, a God who truly knows how to handle power, a God whose love passes all understanding, and a God who chooses to be with us despite our choices.