Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Philemon 1:8-10, ESV)
I was – and still am – a fan of Michelle Wie, now Michelle Wie West.
She started playing when she was four, and at the age of 10, she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Public Links. At 11, she won the Hawaii State Open Women’s Championship. The next year, she won it again, this time by thirteen shots.
Her accomplishments as a young player were amazing, including winning the Women’s Publinx when she was 13.
That year, in addition to the Women’s Publinx, Michelle became the youngest player to make an LPGA cut. It was at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and her tournament included a third-round 66.
She was a phenom of the first order and was under tremendous scrutiny.
In her LPGA Tour debut in 2005, she finished fourth. But a day after the tournament ended, a journalist who had noticed that she had taken an incorrect drop reported it. She was (appropriately) disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
But the magnifying glass event I remember was when, at 12 years old, she was reprimanded by a professional player for stepping on her “through line.” Michelle didn’t understand what she had done wrong, but she learned. And so did I!
In golf, there are rules and etiquette. You may know the rules — though far too many players don’t — and keep them well. But do you also know etiquette, and do you keep it well? Again, far too many players don’t.
Paul’s letter to Philemon was called “the polite epistle.” It is quite short, and you should read the entire thing. But if you only read the passage quoted here, you will see that Paul did not step on Philemon’s through line.
As the years have passed, my own “rules keeping” has given way to a deeper practice of etiquette. I like it because it feels much more like “love one another.”
And it definitely changes the conversation for the better. Just ask Philemon.
Prayer: Father, may we be a polite people, not just keepers of the law. In Jesus’ beautiful name, Amen