Life, Golf and A Savior

I once read a book on humility. I know some of you are thinking I probably should have read more. Hey, they are hard to find. Who is qualified to write a book on how to be humble? Anyway, it was a good book with many great truths but one of the practical suggestions he made surprised me. If someone really was serious about developing humility the author suggested...golf. When I read that it made me laugh at first. I have since had time to think about it. I don't play much golf and I think that is more a defense mechanism and not lack of opportunity. I think the author is on to something. Golf is a sport that exposes and displays my weaknesses. In other sports I feel like I can hide some weaknesses. If I could not shoot a left handed layup in basketball I could cover that and avoid it. In golf, I cannot avoid my weaknesses. If I am lousy out of a sandtrap then tough. My playing partners will get to watch me spray sand like a gopher until I am covered with the stuff and my teeth are on edge the rest of the round. Golf tempts me in ways no other sport does. If I can barely ski down a hill, I wouldn't all of a sudden head toward the half pipe to try to emulate Shawn White. But in golf I can find myself behind a row of 90 foot trees. I got there by hitting a horrible shot that should have been easy. My solution is to try a shot that Tiger Woods would not attempt in a practice round. I am like the guy in debt up to his ears heading to Vegas because it seems like a good idea. Golf is a sport founded on the honesty of the player. In other sports there is a referee that enforces the rules. If the ref misses something you play on. No harm no foul. You don't stop play and call a foul on yourself. In golf you do. I think that was built into golf at the beginning because nothing makes you want to lie or cheat more than golf. The foot wedge, the gimme putt, the lost stroke. They are all lurking around the golf course because golf is so brutal on the ego. Golf reminds me that I am not nearly as good as I want to think I am. Humility is not just a good thing to learn. Humility is the only way to find grace. Humility is one of those things nobody really wants to get. It requires too bright a light. The blemishes are all on display. But the only blemishes grace can cover and heal are the ones on display. So, the next time you play golf take your lumps and then be thankful for a game that reminds you how bad you are and how great your Savior is.