Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)
The language of “risk-reward” is a customary part of golf vernacular. The process of “risk-reward” decision-making figures prominently in every round.
Sometimes, these decisions are of little significance; other times, they are enormously important. If you are in the final match of the club championship, what you decide on a particular shot carries significant weight; if the shot is in a practice round, not so much.
We invariably face decisions throughout the course of play: Do I pitch it or chip it? Do I carry it to the flag or land it in front of the green? Do I lay up or go for it? In every case, there is “risk-reward.”
Standing on the tee box of a tree-lined hole with our minds racing through all the options can lead to indecision or resolve. Do I play this right to left or left to right; do I play three-metal or driver? Finding yourself behind a tree 160 yards out begs the question: Do I go under the limbs, or can I flight my ball that high? Without question, there are endless factors that go into the final decision.
Am I in good form today? Do I have this shot in my repertoire? Do I have the chutzpah to pull it off? Have I rarely pulled this shot off, or am I eight-out-of-ten-lifetime on executing it flawlessly?
Say you tugged your approach shot to a back left pin. You are long and slightly left of the green. The green is elevated, and you must choose between a bump-and-run or a slightly riskier flop shot. What do you do? Well, “it depends.”
From a purely human perspective, life can easily strike a person as a risk-reward gamble. As in golf, so it is in life. We cannot stand on the tee box of life forever caught in the crosshairs of indecision. At some point, you must “pull the trigger.”
Every person must decide about reality: 1) Are humans the accidental outcome of an explosion billions of years ago, imprisoned in an evolutionary process, and trapped in the matrix of an indifferent and impersonal Cosmos? or 2) Are humans the craftsmanship of the personal and perfect Artisan who has created us for his perfect purposes?
There is no neutral ground here. Indecision is not an option. This life, like every round, ends. Deciding on the kind of world you live in cannot be dodged without temporal and eternal consequences.
The famous 17th-century philosopher, mathematician, and polymath Pascal, recognized for many things, including his famous “Wager,” reasons:
“If God exists, believing in God results in infinite rewards, while not believing in God results in eternal consequences. If God does not exist, believing in God results in minor losses, while not believing in God results in minor benefits. It is in a person’s best interest to believe in God.” For Pascal, that was the God who had revealed himself in Christ and Scripture.
Managing our finances is often portrayed as a “risk-reward” venture. However, the wisest and most fundamental action regarding our financial investments is trusting the Creator to supervise the process.
As many have said, “We cannot out-give God.” Where we invest our time, talents, and treasures requires prayerful thought. Many Christ-honoring ministries deserve consideration for your year-end or ongoing financial investment.
It is no secret that Links Player International gratefully receives your generous financial support. We ask you to prayerfully consider investing in our Spirit-led efforts to spread the good news “as far as the curse is found.”
Prayer: Father! Teach and lead us to invest wisely!