Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
Having not picked up the game of golf until my mid-20s, I had no visions of one day shooting even par. So, when that day came in 2018, after turning 50, you’d think my excitement would have been beyond measure. Sure, there was an element of euphoria, but truth be told, it was accompanied by discontent.
Holes-in-one get more notoriety, but they are just one shot, a moment in time. An even par round means you went toe-to-toe with the course, for 71 strokes in my case, and gave up no ground, providing the rare opportunity to talk smack with an inanimate opponent. “Take that, golf!”
So why the Debbie Downer demeanor after achieving one of golf’s great goals? Well, let’s pull back the curtain a bit. Just because I’m a member of the “how to shoot even par after standing on the 18th tee 2-under” club doesn’t mean I wanted to join it.
Looking forward to the impending nonsense in the 19th, I let my mind wander and paid the price with a stumble to the finish.
Obviously, I didn’t close out the round as I had hoped, but the long-term objective is continued learning and improvement despite the disappointments.
Those striving for sanctification would be wise to adopt a similar strategy. Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong pursuit, and despite inevitable bogeys, our aim and aspiration should be steady growth.
With that in mind, let’s review some Bible basics to help us find our focus in 2025.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29). Just as the middle of the green is the safe play for a sucker pin, suppressing sarcasm is good insurance against hurt feelings. Asking for a gimme is more fun than asking for grace due to a wayward witticism.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Encouragement is not a zero-sum game. As evidenced by 2024 PGA Tour Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler, nice guys don’t have to finish last.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). Easier said than done, this mindset helps prioritize purpose over pleasure, Christ over culture, and heaven over here and now. Additionally, failures on the course fade quickly when you keep the game in perspective. After all, ‘it’s just golf.’
My prayer is that we grow in grace this year and make up our minds “not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister” (Romans 14:13). May we have the courage to obey today’s admonition from James: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
Prayer: Lord, you have given us life’s yardage book. Help us not deceive ourselves by merely browsing it; move us to live by it.