If I say, “I will not mention him [The Lord] or speak anymore in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. (Jeremiah 20:9, ESV)
If you have ever had a hole-in-one, you know the irresistible impulse to tell someone about it. If you’ve ever shot your age, you want to shout it on the housetops. If you jar it for an albatross on a par five, more than likely, you are hooting and hollering with your playing partners, right?
If you believe that telling others about your nine birdies in the morning round is bragging, then, at the very least, you probably mention it at dinner to your spouse. It’s hard to keep that kind of news to yourself.
If your “better half” turns to you in response and asks, “Lobster or Steak?” aren’t you just a tad disappointed that the love of your life doesn’t rejoice with you over such a rare feat?
Most of us have a group of guys with which we usually play. Our group, sometimes called “The Game,” tees off at 10:00 am five days a week. More often than not, we are back in the Locker Room, settling bets by 1:30.
I fully expect to hear about great shots, unexpected eagles, and extraordinary rounds. If I don’t, I am always disappointed. I want to hear about someone chipping in on #2 or holing out on #7, even if they are not my partners.
At least half the fun of playing golf is the verbal “back and forth” between good friends. I spend a significant amount of time laughing at the good-natured ribbing from one player about another player’s quirky swing or peculiar pre-swing mannerisms.
All this is to say, “We talk about what we are excited about!” Or, put another way, “We commend what we cherish!” It is virtually impossible to keep silent about an unanticipated ace, an uncharacteristically low round, or besting your friend’s 69 with a 68, especially if you made it from 45 feet on #18.
Even if you consider yourself among the silent types, we want to honor outstanding achievements verbally. When Scottie shot 29 on the back nine at the 2024 Olympics, we wanted to talk about it. We still talk about Jack’s back nine at Augusta in 1986.
C. S. Lewis captured it perfectly when he wrote, “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment….”
As usual, Lewis gets it right! We have an inner compulsion to verbalize our feelings of worth toward someone of value or for an extraordinary accomplishment by another or even ourselves in an appropriate setting.
In today’s short video, we captured Chris and Marty’s excitement over telling others (e.g., caddies, hotel guests, bus drivers, and a golf professional) about the person and work of Jesus Christ.
To be sure, we had our fair share of rehearsing the ups and downs of the previous 18 holes that morning at Royal County Down. But of all the things that revved up our engines, telling others about the extraordinary life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ exceeded all the conversations about pars and birdies.
Sadly, many reasons keep Christians from telling others about Jesus: fear of rejection, feelings of inadequacy, lack of time building trusted friendships, etc. Above all, perhaps, our failure to cherish him as we ought keeps a muzzle over our mouths.
If we spend time worshipping him in the beauty of holiness, we will soon find ourselves expressing our love for him to others. Not telling others becomes impossible once we see how majestic he is!
Prayer: Jesus, grant us the power of unashamed proclamation.