Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV)
The 17th hole at Tradition Golf Club in La Quinta is just over 330 yards from the Palmer tees. A short hike up to the tee leads to a magnificent down valley view to a what looks like a reachable green protected by a fairway bunker and lake on the left and mountains on the right.
The smart shot is to take the lake and bunker out of play and a layup to 230 yards, but who wants to play smart when you are with LINKS buddies and it’s a fun day, not a competition day?
I convinced Peter, one of our LINKS board members, to bring a driver and a lay-up club to see if we could come close to hitting the green. After all, our president and former Tour player, Jeffrey Cranford, has hit the green with a driver – why shouldn’t we try?
Peter swung hard but hooked it hard left into the water, I managed to hit a pop up short of the bunker but in play. When he turned to me to hit his next shot, he needed a ball, so I tossed him mine and he hit a nice shot just short of where my “lay up meant to be a bomber” had landed.
He was about 50 yards away from his cart with two clubs in his hand when he realized he had the wrong clubs and would have to hike back to the cart.
I quickly offered my 54-degree Callaway, he took a couple of waggles, and said, “this feels good.” As soon as he struck the ball, I knew it was flushed straight at the pin. It landed one foot behind the hole and spun back in for an eagle.
We danced around like kids, high fiving and yelling in amazement. Borrowed ball, borrowed club and the result…. pure joy.
Everyone celebrated the incredible shot, but upon reflection, I started thinking about how God sometime allows us to play a small part in someone else’s success.
I didn’t hit the shot or make the eagle, but at the time I had exactly what Peter needed, and I was willing to share it.
Life in the kingdom is like that if we let God use our gifts of encouragement, wisdom, experience, resources or even just timely kindness to help others accomplish something they could not do alone.
Sometimes we may be holding on too tightly to what we have including our time, our talents, our opportunities, and our possessions. What we freely put in another person’s hand, or heart may become the story of an extraordinary experience.
The disciples had only five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:19) to feed the five thousand. They had no answers on how to feed the followers, but Jesus multiplied what little they had to eat and miraculously no one went hungry.
Sometimes faithfulness is simply being ready to hand someone the “club” they need in the moment. Reflect on what God places in your hands that could help someone else. Is it time, gifts, encouragement? Have we thanked God for the people who He used in our lives to help us succeed?
Prayer: Lord, help us to recognize all the gifts and talents you have given to us to share. We don’t want to hoard what you have given us to manage and share. Thank you for the blessings that come with letting go and sharing in others great victories, whatever they may be.