Why Should We Care About Allen Iverson?

CBN.com - He is a family man but on the other hand a trash-talking thug from the streets. In many ways he is very smart, even brilliant, but conversely is sometimes self-destructive. He plays the game of basketball with a marked degree of precision, stealth-like craftsmanship yet lives his life with a sense of wild-eyed recklessness.

Without question Philadelphia 76er guard Allen Iverson is a man of great contradiction and complexity. With the exception of his on court heroics so far this season, the last time we heard from A.I. was last July when the NBA All-Star allegedly threw his naked wife out of their mansion in the middle of the night. He then went on a breaking and entering spree looking for her with a semi-automatic handgun tucked into his waistband. Subsequently, he was charged with four felonies and 10 misdemeanors, all of which were later dropped.

Last Monday, the tattooed wunderkind resurfaced when he explained to the local media that he was afraid police were targeting him and that he might want to leave the City of Brotherly Love because of it.

"I want to be in Philadelphia but Im scared to be here," Iverson told the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News last Tuesday. " Ive heard about police officers toasting to Allen Iversons next felony conviction."

Based on Mr. Iversons past it would be easy for just about anyone to be judgmental of the troubled superstar. It could be said that he is simply reaping what he sows. You may be asking yourself right now, "How, can he make such accusations with a straight face considering all the pain and anguish he has inflicted upon himself, his family, and even the city in which he calls home?"

The answer is not an easy one.

His criminal record while not incredibly long is significant: a 1997 arrest for a concealed weapon, a 1993 conviction for participating in a mob fight in a Virginia bowling alley, and his most recent transgressions involving his wife.

Contrasting this celebrated rap sheet, we see a tender, kind hearted, even traditional sort of person. He is married to the woman he began dating his junior year of high school. He is a doting father to his two children despite a childhood that was devoid of any sort of male role model. He supports and is incredibly loyal to his mother, a woman who raised him alone. In addition, he has helped more than 40 troubled families get back on their feet.

So, who is the real Allen Iverson the classic street punk or the guy seemingly trying to make a better way for he and his family?

Simply put, Allen Iverson is an enigma. While the media, including myself, has been quick to hold him under an unforgiving microscope, perhaps A.I. is simply misunderstood. For all his glaring, well-documented foibles, the corn rowed, rough-hewn, point guard has an undeniable amount of potential. Sure, he defies authority by refusing to practice. If you were to see him walking toward you on a city street, you would probably turn and head the other way due to his threatening physical appearance. He often says things (see failed rap album) that can be construed as crude, lewd, anti-Semitic, and sometimes obscene. But beneath this coarse veneer is a man who I believe is only seeking acceptance and is desperate to be loved.

Why should we care about Allen Iverson? The answer is one grounded in common sense. He represents so many others, who for whatever reason, have fallen between the cracks into a sordid sub-culture. Fortunately, Iverson had a talent (basketball) that carried him out of a potentially dismal future to one of fame and fortune. But as you may surmise, he is still in desperate need of help.

Thousands of others have not had that opportunity. These are people who need to be cared for, prayed for, and loved unconditionally. Perhaps you know of people in your own community who are struggling due to the abusive rigors of a dysfunctional family, are experiencing feelings of worthlessness, or striving to find acceptance through sinful pursuits.

Many of these people have been conditioned to believe that they have done or said something that is beyond forgiveness. They believe that because they have committed a seemingly unpardonable sin that God does not and will not ever care for them. The feeling is why care, God could never love me, I am unforgivable. As a result, these tragic figures slip deeper and deeper into a sinful lifestyle. This is happening in every town, in every state, and on every street corner in America at this very moment.

In

it is written, "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving large or small it will be used to measure what is given back to you."

During this upcoming holiday season it is more important than ever to remember these troubled people with prayer, compassion, and random acts of kindness. As Christians, we must love as Jesus loved. If we do so, we will be blessed beyond measure.

Allen Iverson has undeniable potential as a man and as a Christian. Yes, you heard that correctly, as a Christian. Just imagine the impact he could have on a nation of desperate souls looking to him as a source of inspiration. Furthermore, think about the difference you can have on someones life in your own community. Remember, if you plant seeds in the ground they will eventually grow. By doing so, His Kingdom will reap what you sow.

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