Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call his name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:30-33 NKJV
Scottie.
Like Arnie, Jack, Tiger, and Annika, the Scheffler factor is a dominant force. He took control of Augusta National over the last nine holes to win the 2024 Masters.
Scottie’s attitude, posture (presence), stride, and demeanor remain the same whether he makes a birdie or a bogie. He admits to feeling the nerves, but his resilience keeps his mind free of negative chatter.
I am drawn to Scottie’s humility and countenance. He is a good human being and loves Jesus.
While it’s okay to be enamored with the world’s number one male golfer, we are not to put him on a pedestal to idolize. Likewise, there are many characters in the Biblical narrative, both men and women, who are worth our attention—people whom God used in significant ways to change history.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, is one of these people. We know this young Jewish teenager conceived the Son of God while still being a virgin. This is an important fact in her story, for sure, but it does not reflect all of the qualities that Mary brought to the kingdom of God.
The angel’s message to Mary included much more. She said yes to being an unwed mother in an honor and shame-culture. She said yes to the coming King who redefined kingship. It’s common to see spiritual truths in Mary’s response to the angel, but it also includes a political and subversive path.
Mary might have been surprised that she found favor from God, but she didn’t live in a vacuum of ignorance of her Jewish heritage or the stories of her ancestors, especially other women who said yes to God in surprising ways. She would have known the stories passed down from one generation to the next – Tamar’s defiance (Genesis 38), Rahab’s faith (Joshua 2), Ruth’s loyalty (Book of Ruth), and Bathsheba’s humility (2 Samuel 11-12).
We must not overlook Mary’s defiance, faith, loyalty, and humility. She said yes to God and stayed true to her calling. She is one to learn from and emulate but not to idolize.
As a man of faith and gifted with golf talent, we can all learn something from Scottie. Regarding our journey with Jesus, may we grow in defiance, faith, loyalty, and humility. Learn from Mary and be a dominant force in our world today.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the people we read about in your scriptures who encourage me today. Help me say yes to you just like Mary did.