Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1, NIV)
In 2019, the Rules of Golf are headed for change. The USGA and R&A insist that this new version of the Rules will be simpler for the average golfer to understand. So let me ask you, will you be learning the Rules this time around? You will if you believe the Rules can help you.
The Creator of the earth and its inhabitants knows how it (and we!) work best.Most people don’t view rules this way, not in golf and almost nowhere. Their thinking: Rules are restricting and rob us of our individuality. If by “individuality” they mean self-rule, then they’re right! But sometimes rules are critical not so much for life as for plain living. Consider traffic lights. The rule is that we stop when the light is red. But what if even a small percentage of people decided this rule was not for them? What if only one or two people out of a hundred chose to keep going right through every red light as though it were not there? You don’t need me to tell you how badly this would end. I’ve heard an expert say that traffic laws result in one of the most coordinated agreements that exists among human beings.
The idea of following rules is one thing when our physical lives are on the line. But tell a friend that their soul is in danger if they don’t trust and obey their Creator and you just might run into a series of disagreements. Here are a couple:
“The Bible doesn’t speak to the decisions we have to make in the modern world. As long as I’m not hurting anyone, I’m sure it’s OK with God.”
“Who is this God who supposedly tells me what to do? Everybody has a different idea about who God is anyway.”
But the Creator of the earth and its inhabitants also knows how it (and we!) work best. And what works best is outlined in his Word. It only makes sense then that we will function best when we function according to his design. His rules are meant to help us.
Eugene Peterson once addressed the idea that the Christian life is difficult. “This is as far from the truth as the east is from the west,” he wrote. “The easiest thing in the world is to be a Christian. What is hard is to be a sinner.” Throw off restraint, resist correction—these are recipes for true hardship. When instead we take up the disciplinary plan of the Lord, we gain knowledge, wisdom, and a fullness of life.
—
Jeff Hopper
August 10, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
OTHER DEVOTIONS IN THIS SERIES:
An Order to it All 1: Rules and Grace
An Order to it All 2: Constrained by Rules
An Order to it All 3: The Best Option
An Order to it All 5: Love and Obedience
An Order to it All 6: Diverse Practices