The Christian Image VS the Christian Life

[Danus]

Does anyone here play golf?

I used to play, but I've not played much since my oldest daughter was born in 2000. I still have my clubs though. I bought them in 1996 when I decided to take up the game.

As anyone who plays golf knows, while it's a game anyone can start playing, it's not a game anyone can master all that well, particularly just starting out. It takes practice and discipline to master, and even then the game owns you. There is always room for improvement. You will never fully measure up to the game of golf. Unlike other games where you collect points as you go, in golf you are up against a set standard of perfection, and score is 18. To get better at the game of golf you have to practice and play with dedication to being better. Improving your swing, stance and grip.

In 1996, I had a friend who played often and introduced me to the game. I was hooked. It was fun. You're outdoors. You get a little exercise. It's peaceful. I practiced and played and I got a little better, enough to be confident enough to sign up for the executive scramble at the new company I'd started working at.

I was pumped. Ready! I had a new set of expensive clubs, that I bought used from a frustrated player who quite the game. It was an unusual set of clubs for anyone to have. It consisted of a 1 iron all the way to a 9 iron, with a pitching, and sand wedge. It had one oversized driver, but other than that it was the type of club set only a pro would carry; all neatly organized in a nice leather bag.

I had a the best shoes, and of course I dressed myself with the latest style for the corse, and when I showed up for the executive scramble I looked intimidating. A man to be reckoned with. Someone who knows their game. Someone worth having on your team for sure. Anyone could see my clubs and attire and know this

I was on a 4 man team that included the CEO of our company, thanks to a Sr. VP contact I'd made, who hired me. It was my chance to shine, to rub elbows with the big boys; to earn points and recognition that would help my career.

For those unfamiliar, a golf scramble is made up of teams with 3 to 5 players. All team members hit, and the team plays the best positioned ball of each man's stroke.

Last of the four to tee off, I needed to hit about 290 yards and over a water hazard just 80 yards away. The hole was a par 5, meaning it's a long distance, but it should take about 3 strokes to get to the green and 2 stokes to putt for par.

My first swing sends the ball about 70 yards, and a hard slice to the right. In the rough. I take a mulligan (A free do-over). That shot sores up...up...straight .....and splash! Hit the hazard. Needless to say we did not use my shot. The rest of my game was par for my starting performance, except my short game. Pitching and putting was stronger, and I managed to save some face with my performance there. However, not enough to avoid receiving a stern but encouraging comment from the man I'd hoped to impress the most.

We did win the scramble. No one bets the CEO's team. They are hand picked for excellence. He says to me after the match; "Son, do you know the difference between your best shot and Tiger Wood's best shot?"....."No"; I said. "Consistency. Keep trying and work hard. You look better than you played by the way".

There are some interesting parallels to Golf and the Christian life. In golf the perfect score is 18. There are 18 holes and if you made a hole-in-one on each hole your score would be 18.

The best score on record is 55. Most pros tend to average in the 60's. My best game was a 92. Many amateurs and hacks shoot well over 100. By now you understand that the goal is to make the lowest score. Each swing is like a sin. No one makes a perfect score of 18...it's not humanly possible.

But, Imagine if Jesus played golf, and hit a perfect 18. What a sight that would be to see, and yet that's how he lived the life and played the game we can not possibly live. But I wonder how he would have looked at the executive scramble, and would you have picked him for your team over me if you did not know him?

Imagine Jesus in his sandals and tunic, long hair and with one club in this hand. Then me and my clubs, bag and attire. Who would you pick if you did not know either of us? Me of corse. But, then after the game you'd have realized what a mistake you made picking me. I may look like I can play, I may have the image, but not the goods. You would not say to Jesus; "Son, you play better than you look." No, You'd call him master! You'd ask him for advice to help your sorry game.

Many Christians work hard on the image. The Christian image. We all go through this. Especially when we start out. We do this because it's the easiest thing to do. Like when I started playing golf.

Some of us look pretty good. But, looking good, while it might be impressive and get you noticed and perhaps picked for the team, does not mean we have the game skills. It's more our way of hiding what we don't want others to know.

The Christian image is OK to portray, but if we ever hope to improve we have to work on the Christian life, and to do that we have to practice. Stay in the word of God, pray, invite and listen to the holly spirit every day.

But, even if we do that we still don't measure up. We still fail compared to Christ. That's the Christian life over the Christian image.

We need to be mindful of the image we create, both to our Christian friends and the world, because we may have to live up to it. The world will hold us accountable to it. However, and rather, we need to understand that even though you can not live up to the image of Christ, our score is still perfect because the only score that counts is the perfect score, and the only one to ever achieve that on record is Christ. But we do want to be more like him don't we? We want to play like that.

I think my old CEO's words can be used here. "Consistency" Keep Practicing.

We are not going to be Christ. You can not score a perfect 18 in golf, and you can not live the Christian life, but you don't have to because Jesus is on your team. He's there with his club in hand. He'll let you hit first and then he'll swing. When you count the score we'll use Jesus's hit since it's always a hole in one. Your job is to play the game, practice and work on your swing, grip and stance. enjoy the game, get better at it, and invite others to be on the team as well.

Be careful. If your upset that you can't play it as well as Jesus, and you have the best clubs and shoes and instructions; then your not playing it with Jesus, your playing it against him. Your just an image that you can't live up to and if that's eating you, you have one of two choices; sell your clubs in frustration, or learn to just enjoy the game as you get better with practice and time.

 

[reba]

 

[jasoncran]

golf, good analogy.

i hate golf.

 

[WIP]

Wonderful analogy, Danus. I don't even play golf and I understood exactly what you meant to say. I think this one will stay in my mind for some time to come. Great reminder that no matter how perfect we think we are we never measure up on our own. Likewise, no matter how imperfect we think we are, we can always count on Jesus to carry us through.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I like the analogy. And its true--image is easier to work on than substance, and baby Christians like me are often working too hard on "acting Christian" than on the Christian walk.

Good post.