Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson says outed Stig Ben Collins has been “sacked” from the popular motoring show. The Formula 3 driver was revealed as the mystery white-suited driver after the BBC failed to stop him publishing his memoirs last week.
“It was such a shock“, Clarkson told little-known English community news service WitneyTV. “It was horrible actually because I liked him and he came around to my house and had drinks, and all the time he was writing a book, so I feel a bit hurt.”
Gossips betray a confidence, but the trustworthy keep a secret.
Proverbs 11:13
Clarkson hinted The Stig character may be dumped from the new BBC series, due to air later this year. Collins took over the role in 2003 after a previous, black-clad Stig also revealed his identity in a book.
Betrayal is most damaging. It isn’t just the immediate people involved that get hurt… it affects many more, just like ripples in a pond radiate outwards after a rock is thrown into the middle of the still water.
The Bible has a great example of this when Judas betrayed Jesus. Even to this day, we name the betrayers, “Judas!”
Interestingly, most Judas’ eventually realise what they have done and remorse fills them like a sickening disease:
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.
Matthew 27:3
So what do you do if you have been the betrayer?
You could seek forgiveness and make restitution … that is a good start. You will need to work hard to earn back any trust, reputation or respect from those you betrayed. Regardless of your success in doing all that, there is only one Judge to finally satisfy, and from him you will find forgiveness…
“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Acts 10:39-43
And His name is, Jesus. He offers you, forgiveness. He is your ultimate salvation!
And if you are the one betrayed?
“Trust me, we have many, many thousands of people queuing up to be whatever it is that we create“, Clarkson said. “I’ve spent the last three weeks doing nothing but trying to figure out what we will do instead.” He added, “Top Gear is damaged but not out!”
Can you can hear the hurt and bitterness in those words from Clarkson?
Forgiveness is the only solution to avoid bitterness eating you up and consuming you.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Easier said than done. I know… and agree. But the key to all that, resides in the words, “just as in Christ God forgave you.” This comes through salvation and Jesus Christ being Lord in your Life.
And finally, what about TopGear?
We can only hope that Ben Collins and Jeremy Clarkson survive this… and the brilliant show, TopGear, continues with it’s winning formula.