Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:16, NIV)
When it gets down to it, golf is about hitting the ball in the right direction, the right way. That way is directed by the cut of the fairway, tree-lines, and hazards. It’s clear on each tee box which direction is the right way. Seeing and executing, though, can be two very different things.
The Scripture speaks in like-terms. It speaks about the way when discussing the spiritual trajectory of ones’ life. Jesus actually declares himself “the way” in the Gospel of John (John 14:6). Early Christians who followed Jesus were referred to as followers of “The Way” (Acts 9:1-2). So, like the fairway in front of you, the Scripture implies that there is a right way in which to go in life. So, which way is that exactly?
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Wisdom directs us down the wise path in life, while grace covers our missteps and empowers us along the way.
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The Book of Proverbs provides crystal clear direction on the way we should go:
So [with God’s Wisdom], now you can pick out what’s true and fair,
find all the good trails!
Lady Wisdom will be your close friend,
and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion.
Good Sense will scout ahead for danger,
Insight will keep an eye out for you.
They’ll keep you from making wrong turns,
or following the bad directions
(Proverbs 2:9-15, MSG)
Wisdom, Knowledge, Good Sense, and Insight lead a person down the right pathway in life. To forsake them leads to dead ends. The instruction from the Book of Proverbs is as obvious as a gallery-lined fairway at Augusta. You can’t miss it. Or can you?
Wisdom directs us down the wise path in life, while grace covers our missteps and empowers us along the way.
Just like a haunting shank that plagues your golf game, we are plagued by our own unpredictability. We know what we should do; we know what is wise and good. We have all the common sense in the world (so we think). But then we drink too much at the Christmas party. We run up the balance on a credit card on unneeded stuff. We flirt with a married co-worker. We lash out in anger at family members. Or maybe we fail in far worse ways. Suddenly The Way is not so simple. It’s obvious something is amiss inside of us.
The Apostle Paul expressed the same problem this way:
I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge…I’m at the end of my rope. Is there anyone who can do anything for me? (Romans 7:19-24, MSG)
Paul’s rhetorical answer:
There is a new power in operation [in me]. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. (Romans 8:2, MSG)
There is The Way of Wisdom. There is also The Way of Grace. Wisdom directs us down the wise path in life, while grace covers our missteps and empowers us along the way.
To stretch the golf metaphor a little further, imagine playing round after round with no penalties and no strokes lost, no matter how poor or errant your shot. Even better, your fairways and greens hit improved over time. Think about it; no self-condemnation, only improvement and enjoyment of the game you love. Now that certainly would be the way to go.