“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13, NIV)
Not all kinds of love are the same.
I do love golf, as I know many of you do. It’s where I spend time with friends. We take up the challenge of the day, whether it’s casual or competitive. We enjoy our birdies, congratulate each other on good shots, and even laugh at our bad ones—well, some of them.
But loving golf and the company we share on the golf course is not the kind of love that lays down its life for others. In fact, that kind of love often means we need to walk away from golf. We spend time in churches and homes and hospitals. We might give up our usual tee time for a wedding or a funeral. Love so often means being there. That’s all. And being there for others might take us away from the things we enjoy.
When I first started working with Links Players, our president Jeffrey Cranford kept telling me that our job is to build living temples inside the walls of golf clubs. Living temples are constructed of living stones—you and me, with the Holy Spirit giving us that life. When we are infused with his life, we find ourselves caring deeply about the lives of others. We find ourselves loving them.
I received an email recently from one of our Links Fellowship leaders. The subject line read: “Pray for Henry.”
Henry is an employee in this club’s pro shop. He had been feeling poorly and after some initial tests, it was determined that he had lymphoma. His illness was serious; an aggressive treatment would be required. Then the email said, “I don’t have all the details, just enough insight to bring us to our knees.”
When men and women of God set out to love others, prayer is an excellent place to start! By it, we recognize the one who knows the person, has foreseen their need, and has the end in sight. God cares. Every time, all the time. So we pray.
The email confirmed that the group had taken this course of action. Men from the Fellowship and several others gathered with Henry in one of the private dining rooms. More than a dozen people surrounded him with concern and love, asking “the Father for his mercy in this circumstance.”
There is much more to come, of course. As the leader wrote, “Henry has a tough road ahead, and we will no doubt be called on to serve Jesus in helping him and loving him.” So they will pray, and they will look for opportunities to help Henry’s young family. They will make Spirit-infused efforts to love Henry, even when it’s inconvenient and takes a bite out of their own life.
I don’t know what plans you have for 2018, but loving others with the life we’ve been given in Jesus can run through every appointment and conversation and circumstance that comes our way, whether or not it’s on our calendar. I highly recommend it!
—
Dereck Wong
January 9, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.