I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. (1 Corinthians 9:22b, ESV)
Several years ago I read a piece by Tom Lehman extolling the virtues of repeatability in a golf swing. In fact, it was his opinion that repeatability was the most important characteristic of a golf swing.
Shortly after that I happened to be at a tournament where Tom was playing, and I watched him hit wedges on the range. You could have put a 15-minute video of that wedge session next to repeatable in the dictionary to illustrate the concept.
Wedge after wedge, Tom set up the same, used the same routine, repeated his swing, and hit a piercing shot with a baby draw 125 yards. Every shot but one landed within seven yards of the hole. I was a believer.
So when Stan Utley later asked me, “What do you think the most important characteristic of a golf swing is?” I unhesitatingly answered, “Repeatability,” and waited for my gold star.
“No,” he said, “it’s adaptability.” Sensing my confusion, or perhaps seeing an actual question mark appear above my head, Stan continued. “Repeatability is important, but when you find yourself with an awkward lie or with a tree limb in the path of your swing you can’t just repeat, you have to adapt.”
Paul did not change the story, but he gave the story a better chance to be accepted by adapting himself to those he was with.We went on to discuss that further, including the reason I had answered as I had, and Stan said that adaptability wasn’t just important for physical obstacles that might intrude, but mental ones as well. Thinking about that helped me make the connection to Paul’s famous line, above.
You really should read today’s verse in its context. Here’s a link to the New Living Testament translation of 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, if that makes it easier for you.
When you read it, you’ll see that Paul, who had a completely repeatable message called “the good news,” was willing and able to adapt himself so that the story would be heard. He did not change the story, but he gave the story a better chance to be accepted by adapting himself to those he was with.
Let’s say that Paul was like a +10, and he went out to play. Did he purposely play bad? No, but he didn’t just play with the other pros. When someone in his group threw a club, did he throw one farther? No, but he probably said, “Frustrating game, isn’t it?” as he went to retrieve the club. That’s what “to the weak I became weak” means.
This is not about compromise, either in your golf swing or in sharing the gospel. The goals are still to get the ball in the hole and the gospel into people, and you’ll be more effective at both if you learn to be adaptable.
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Lewis Greer
March 8, 2021
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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