What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? (1st Corinthians 4:7b, NLT)
Sports teach many things—discipline, perseverance, humility, and the thin margin between victory and defeat. I’ve seen the best succeed and fail, sometimes on the same day.
Recently, a golf tour called “The Pro” was created, featuring retired professional athletes from the MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL. Competition and camaraderie are present at every event. While the sport may be different, the competitive fire remains familiar.
Yet one of the quiet truths of sports is this: eventually, every player’s final game will be played. Careers end. Trophies gather dust. Applause fades into memories. Father Time remains undefeated. That reality isn’t meant to diminish the value of competition—it’s meant to redefine it.
Our talents, careers, opportunities, and platforms are all gifts. God uses them to sharpen us, but He never intended them to define us or become our identity. He gave us careers so our influence could extend far beyond them—long after the final whistle, pitch, or putt.
“The Pro” Tour highlights something deeper than former athletes competing on a golf course. It reveals relationships from the past and new ones formed in the present, along with opportunities to encourage pro-am partners and sponsors.
There’s good-natured trash talk, laughter, and behind-the-scenes stories—but also meaningful conversations that point to something greater.
I’ve learned that competition exposes character. Preparation reveals discipline, dedication, and determination. It shows how we handle success and failure, satisfaction and disappointment, and the everyday tension of living in a broken world while pursuing our God-given purpose.
Those moments shape a reputation that follows us long after the last pitch, pass, dunk, or slapshot. For those who trust who Jesus is and what He did for us on the cross—and who choose to walk a surrendered life with Him—that reputation becomes a testimony.
Links Players International reminds us that golf is a mission field. The course, locker room, practice range, putting green, and even the 19th hole are places where faith is often observed long before it is discussed.
Influence can feel tied to performance—how well we play or how often we contend. But God’s economy works differently. Influence multiplies when it is surrendered.
After our competitive careers end, the question becomes: What will we do with what we’ve been given to make a difference?
Jesus told His disciples, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,” (Mark 10:43 NIV). Many former players discover their greatest impact doesn’t come from what they achieved, but from how they invest in others. Experience becomes wisdom. Failure becomes empathy. Success becomes credibility—all used to encourage rather than compare.
Today’s opponents may become tomorrow’s brothers, mentors, or ministry partners. God often uses shared competition to foster future collaboration. Those once chasing you on the leaderboard may one day stand beside you, pray with you, help you equip the next generation, or partner with you to bless communities through service and generosity.
Influence after sports looks like intentional presence—listening more than speaking and sharing truth rather than boasting. It means acknowledging the loneliness of travel, the temptation to find identity in performance, and the freedom in Christ when the scorecard no longer defines you.
“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ”(Ephesians 2:10).
Some of those good works happen inside the ropes. Many more happen when the ropes are gone.
God doesn’t waste careers—He redeems them. He uses discipline learned on the range, patience forged through injury, and humility forged through setbacks to shape servants who encourage, equip, and empower others without needing applause.
Someday the applause will fade—but influence doesn’t have to. When we steward our platform with eternity in mind, sports—especially golf—become more than a game. They become a legacy.
Prayer: Lord, show me how to use what You’ve given me—not just to compete well, but to love well.