And because of him [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:30-31)
With the rise of technological gadgets, printed yardage books, like persimmon drivers, are starting to seem outdated. What used to be a collector’s item is nearly a thing of the past.
With the widespread use of GPS systems, rangefinders, and watch apps, printed “maps” with hole layouts, yardages, bunker locations, lakes, creeks, and other relevant information are becoming outdated.
We haven’t carried out a large-scale empirical research project, so we can assume there are still quite a few prestigious courses with printed versions available for purchase.
Whether the course’s layout is in a well-designed book with all the relevant data printed on quality card stock or shown on a screen in your cart, phone, or watch, we all need a “map” of the course in front of us.
Tour players, of course, have their caddies arrive early, walk the course, determine yardages, and make detailed notes to gather the necessary information needed to maximize their advantage. For the best players, yardage books are essential.
Regardless of the mode used, a map, whether on a screen or on paper, is a crucial part of the game. You might argue, “Well, I have played this course for 40 years. Who needs a map?”
Exactly! You don’t need a map of your home course or any course you play often because you have a mental map of those courses etched into your brain.
You can see every nook and cranny, every sprawling oak, and towering pine, along with the contours of every green in your sleep—you have a map even if we can’t see it.
Imagine a scenario where two players in the county have competed for the title of “best player” over many years. The Golf Committee decides to resolve the debate by inviting both men to play in a winner-take-all match.
One player argues that yardage books are essential; the other player suggests “playing by feel” is the best way to conquer a course.
The second player wrongly assumes they were going head-to-head on a familiar course. Turns out, they are playing a course neither had ever seen. The player with the map (yardage book) will more than likely win.
Playing blindly on an unfamiliar course without a yardage book makes the game needlessly harder. For goodness’ sake, reach into that deep pocket and buy a rangefinder or one of those hand-stitched collector’s items.
Flying blind through life without the ultimate “map,” the Bible, is infinitely more unnecessary and eternally dangerous. The next time you stay at a Marriott, open that bedside table drawer and read the ultimate “yardage book,” the map (Scripture) designed to guide us through the toughest course of all—LIFE.
Better yet, download a Bible app onto your phone, iPad, or laptop. Whatever version of Scripture you choose—printed or virtual—having the “course design” of life with all its hazards in plain view is the only way to navigate your life.
Trying to navigate life “by feel” — educated guesses, emotions, hearsay, cultural instinct, or intuition— or any approach other than what the Designer intended is like being handed the wrong yardage book on the first tee; it has no wisdom or guidance for the course you are about to play.
Worldviews are like maps! The Christian worldview is the only reliable map for this life and the life to come. Jesus is our Redeemer; he is also our Wisdom. Why would we ever try to navigate life without him?”
Are you playing the course of life with the right yardage book?
Prayer: Jesus! Open our eyes to see the wisdom of God in the pages of Holy Writ!