I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7, NASB)
Today’s scripture has been used by some to facetiously verify that there will be golf in heaven. The verse is really Paul’s testimony that he was finishing his life well. Before he passed away, one of my trusted mentors gave me a similar charge—to finish my life well.
There are two ways to approach this thought. The first is not to mess up in the remaining years. The second is to finish a life with the attitude of continuing to conquer. One is living life on the defense and the other is to live life on the offense.
Golf can be played in a similar manner. How many stories have you heard of tour players protecting their lead and thereby playing defensively? Every golfer has faced this situation, whether playing in the club championship or posting a career score. At some point comes the temptation to protect the lead. There is a fine line between making smart decisions on the golf course and conversely playing defensively. The results of defensive play are usually the wheels coming off the round and major disappointment. Or, at best, no real progress is made and the remaining holes are played with mediocrity.
Playing offensively brings a mindset that sees more birdies and trusts the instincts that got you to the place where you are in the round. Commentators have often said, “He needs to keep playing the way he has, because it is what got him to this place.” This does not mean you throw all caution out the window. It means careful thought is applied. You play one shot at a time and strive to stay in the moment. It can even mean dismissing negative thoughts or phrases.
How many people do you know who have reached a certain point in their life and they begin a maintenance existence? They either stop living on the offensive or begin to protect what they already have. Worse yet, some Christians can fall into this trap as well. The idea is hoping they will not sin or make a mistake. Their Christian life is characterized by maintaining. Evangelism ceases and spiritual development is placed on hold. It does not take very long before such an existence becomes just that—an existence.
I am personally choosing to keep as many “balls in the air” as I am humanly capable of doing. By making wise physical choices and equally wise time management decisions, it is my conclusion that my latter days can be greater than my former days. In this way, I am not only a golfer, but a runner like Paul, who wants to keep up my pace right through the tape.
Oh, there are allowances for our aging bodies. Here’s one: I now play from the white tees. Still, every hole finishes at the same green, so I need to take the appropriate measures to complete the hole well. Similarly, it is incumbent upon all of us to finish life well.
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Larry Dublanko
May 21, 2018
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