For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8, NIV)
For all the cries about how technology is ruining the older, shorter golf courses, the matter isn’t so easily resolved. Yes, better golf balls and bigger driver heads are contributing to massive distance gains, but so are the understanding of launch angles and raw athleticism.
If we are godly, then our actions and attitudes reflect God himself.Let’s consider that last item for a minute. Skill and genetic endowment will also play a role in who makes the big time when it comes to sports. Dustin Johnson would in many cases have the advantage over Rickie Fowler on the basketball court. Something Rickie can’t control—his shorter height—would give Dustin a built-in advantage. But there are things Rickie can do when it comes to golf. He can work his core, increase the power in his legs, and stretch the muscles that, when limber, can add essential miles per hour to his swing speed.
And how about you? What commitments might you make to fitness that would make you better on the golf course? Keeping stretched and strong can lengthen your “career” as a player who makes a serious run at par.
The trouble with physical training, Paul wrote to Timothy, is that it is inferior to godliness, for it is godliness that holds lasting worth. This is important as people who should be “storing up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy” (Matthew 6:20). When we look at the activities of our lives, we should always lean toward those things with eternal value.
One way to look for such things is to ask ourselves whether they would qualify as “godly.” This may seem like one of those heavenly-minded terms, but when Peter wrote of eight great traits, sixth on that list was godliness. This is yet another excellent characteristic we should be adding to our faith.
So what counts as godly? The answer may be as simple as noting the root of this word. If we are godly, then our actions and attitudes reflect God himself. For instance, we read in several places in Scripture that “the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love.” How about our lives, then? Do they reflect the character of God in these ways? With these questions in mind, you can read your Bible with eyes first to God and his nature, then eyes to yourself and how much of God you are reflecting.
—
Jeff Hopper
February 23, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
OTHER DEVOTIONS IN THE EIGHT GREAT TRAITS SERIES
Eight Great Traits 1: Faith
Eight Great Traits 2: Goodness
Eight Great Traits 3: Knowledge
Eight Great Traits 4: Self-Control
Eight Great Traits 5: Perseverance
Eight Great Traits 7: Kindness
Eight Great Traits 8: Love