…the lizard you can take in your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces. (Proverbs 30:28, ESV)
…pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison. (Colossians 4:3, ESV)
One thing we can say with authority about golf is that it has some exclusive privileges not everyone can enjoy. For instance, have you ever been inside the Champion’s Locker Room at the Augusta National Golf Club? Unless you are one of the few who have won The Masters, I doubt it. Gaining access to this room is an earned privilege, a privilege as special as it is rare.
Another thing we can say about golf is this: Golfers play a sport in the most beautiful “stadiums” imaginable. With all due respect to Lambeau Field and AT&T Stadium, they cannot compete with Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pine Valley Golf Club, or Cypress Point Club.
One could just as easily opine about the beauty of various clubhouses that dot the landscapes of different American cities and countrysides. No disrespect to Scotland, England, or anywhere else is intended.
All things considered, golf is truly a beautiful game played on majestic sites adorned by magnificent clubhouses. I hardly know where to begin when thinking about the amazing architecture associated with certain clubhouses.
Perhaps you saw the Top 100 Clubhouses list by Golf Digest. I once had the good fortune of being a guest at Congressional Country Club. Providence saw fit to have me “trapped” there for days by an unexpected ice storm. I was surrounded by pictures of golfing greats from bygone eras. I could almost hear them speaking to me.
All this to say, many of the world’s greatest golf courses and accompanying clubhouses are not accessible to the masses, though guests of members are cordially welcomed.
But then, they still have lizards. If I had to bet, my hunch is that an occasional lizard has found his way into the Champions Locker Room at Augusta National. If discovered, I am confident this lizard is escorted to more suitable quarters. Clearly, he didn’t win the Masters, but he is in there, nevertheless.
Harvey Penick once said, “If you play golf, you are my friend.” One implication of Harvey’s comment is that golf, unlike any other sport, has a way of opening doors that would be otherwise closed.
Like the lizard, most golfers don’t require cultural status to tee it up with a person of notoriety. A love for the game, a modicum of skills, and some social awareness usually open the door to play with others one would not normally meet.
Agur, the writer of today’s proverb, and Paul are illustrating something we often overlook—God opens doors no one can shut, and he closes doors no one can open (Isaiah 22:22).
A lizard ends up in a king’s palace. Doors are opened for Paul. Jesus promises to give his disciples the right words when they are brought before kings. If our Sovereign King wants to start a Links Fellowship, no door is locked. Remember, Jesus walks on water and through walls.
By God’s favor, Links Players finds itself uniquely positioned in clubs across America with the privilege of telling others about Jesus Christ and the salvation he offers. Would you prayerfully consider asking the Lord if he wants you to start one at your club?
Prayer – Jesus, should I start a new Links Fellowship at my club?