…and [Paul] said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10, ESV)
Having watched a lot of videos on the golf swing, I wonder if Paul’s statement to a false prophet (above) might be applied to some golf instructors.
I know that most instructors genuinely want both their professional and amateur students to improve. But I also know they often turn something that is simple into something complex, making it harder rather than easier.
Try this: stand straight up, hold a club in your hands, and swing it around your body. Now bend over so the clubhead is on the ground and swing it the same way. That’s pretty much it.
One of my “I’ve never played golf” friends has joked with me for years that he would someday borrow my clubs and go win a tournament, then with the prize money he would buy his own.
I scoffed.
Then one day we happened to discover an indoor hitting bay at his community center. There were a couple of clubs, a couple of balls, and a mat that looked a little like grass.
“OK,” I said, “let’s see it.”
Sure enough, he picked up a golf club—a 5-iron, I think—for the first time in his life and proceeded to hit the ball straight into the screen. He didn’t do that again in several tries, but that does not diminish the fact that he did it on his very first try.
But what about grip and stance and posture and a straight lead arm and a cupped (or is it a flat?) wrist at the top and keeping your head down and dozens of other teachings propagated by sincere, well-intentioned, successful, golf instructors?
What about predestination and free will and worship music and forms of communion and days of worship and inerrancy and dozens of other doctrines (teachings) propagated by sincere, well-intentioned teachers of Christianity?
I am not saying that golf instruction is useless, and I’m certainly not saying that doctrine has no value. Both of these kinds of teaching (if you play golf and if you follow Jesus) can be extremely important.
What I am saying is this: make the main thing the main thing. In golf that happens to be the foot or so before the face of the club strikes the ball to about that same distance past the ball’s original position.
In Christianity it is your answer to Jesus’ question: “Who do you say that I am?”
Whether you are a student or a teacher, seek the straight path. Especially in following Jesus.
—
Lewis Greer
January 16, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.