On The Biggest Stage

Last night on the biggest stage imaginable Peyton Manning delivered a strong message. He told the world that after kissing his wife he intended go out and drink a lot of beer after the big game. He specifically mentioned drinking Budweiser.

I remember as a youngster watching Dallas Cowboys legend Roger Staubach in the Superbowl. I idolized him as a child. I wore his jersey, kept his trading cards and pretended to be him on the playground with my friends. I hung on his every word. I cannot imagine how I would have embraced his message on any topic with such a young and impressionable mind. I do not ever recall him ever endorsing beer especially publicly.

Manning has always carried himself with class during his career. Of all the things to endorse on the biggest stage why alcohol? Why tell the world after the game he would go out and drink a lot of beer. While I cannot cite Bible passages stating drinking beer is a sin I can sure make a case that getting drunk is a sin.

I can also paint the other side of the picture of the devastation of alcohol. How many heard Manning last night and justified their getting plastered drunk and then driving home after a Super Bowl party. Did anyone have a drunk driving accident? Did any drunks get enraged because their team lost and took it all out on kids and their spouses or girl friends.

I can testify first hand what alcohol can do a family. My alcoholic father was abused as a child by an alcoholic father. He in turn became a violently abusive a husband. That alcoholic father was unfaithful and eventually got murdered by another man. Two young boys were left growing up in a harsh world without a father.

On the biggest stage Manning gave his support to an industry that has destroyed more than one life. If Manning did it for the money he received to endorse Budweiser that is shameful. He has made multiple millions. Did he really need more to endorse drinking beer.

On the biggest stage he could have endorsed anything. Vehicles, insurance, Coke, Pepsi or family. He chose beer. That will be my last impression of Manning whether he retires or not. It will not be all the passing touchdowns, the five MVP's or the two Super Bowl victories. It will be him endorsing beer on the biggest stage of his life. As the Sheriff possibly prepares to ride off into the sunset I shudder to think of all the young fans who will follow his example in drinking a lot of beer. How many alcoholics were chained further to the Devil's brew last night. How many young people will plan another pasture party and more young lives will be lost because they drank a lot of beer.

I may stand in a minority but on the biggest stage the biggest message of all time is Jesus. I can't help but wonder what Tim Tebow would have said on the biggest stage. I am confident it would not have been the endorsement of beer.