I would like to go on record as to the fact I do not play golf. I once
did, and in fact wasn’t really too bad a golfer, but any game where the low
score wins I lose interest in. To me golf can best be described as one swing,
and 4 minutes walking to the next one. Boring. Exercise it ain’t, for no one
walks any more. And for me that is boring. Time consuming, and expensive.
Which all add up to frustrating, so why golf when I can ride. How exciting is
driving a golf ball when you can ride a motorcycle? And like I said I wasn’t a
bad golfer, I really wasn’t a good one either. Until mini bikes and motorcycles
mixed with girls took over my life, I played every morning in the summer. I was
never a long driver, but straight, very rarely off the fairway. My putting game
was good, usually down in 2 or 3. But get me with 10-20 yards of the green, and
I was looking at 4 shots just to get there. It was either too much, and finding
the downhill run on the other side landing me in the lake, or if I didn’t reach
the lake, hitting it too hard again over the green, back where I started. Too
much club you could trace my divots to the green, and while those others in the
foursome waited patiently, I grew more impatient. My game could best be
described at that point like the old Dennis the Menace cartoon, where Dennis
proudly claims “good thing I went along today, Dad got his highest score ever.”
Now the 17th fairway at Ashbrook was a dogleg to the right, with a pond at
the turn. Good golfers could hit over it, for me I stored balls there for
later. Only to have them resold back to me by the kid who lived right off the
green on 17, his wagon filled with balls that had gone in his yard, or he fished
from the pond. Quite the entrepreneur at age 12, used balls for 25 cents. All
from donations from golfers like me. So I don’t play golf, I don’t even like it
the game. You can have it, and the only redeeming quality I can find it has is
that it keeps you from driving on the roads I ride. And if those who golf
drive a car like they drive a golf ball, we are all better off.
But miniature golf, that’s different. Or it used to be, I was a good
putter and could navigate the windmills and bricks placed between me and the
hole. Strange bends, uphills leading to bends you couldn’t see, I was there.
Until one night on a date with Marcia, and my game fell apart. I had a bad case
of the yips, and made every bad shot you could. After bragging in front of the
crowd how good I was, I was embarrassed, and cussing myself out over every
missed shot. Silently of course. But as the night drug on, and my shots got
worse, hers got better. You could have blindfolded her and she would make them,
and then there was me.....and after the first nine I was still ahead, she was
that bad! But the back nine was her chance to improve, and she did, as I stayed
mired in the dulldrums. And when we sat down she was excited, she even had a
couple of holes in one. We stood and added up each others scores, and I was
beyond embarrassed. She had beaten me, fair and square for what that was worth,
and was smiling out loud, laughing. And I was, well embarrassed. But cool, so
as not to show it. And then she caught me off guard, giving me a great big hug,
she exclaimed “that was so sweet of you to let me win!” Let’s just say I could
not have planned it any better, so kept my mouth shut. And soon my horrible
golf game had turned into the romantic move of the night. No other strategy
could have made her any happier, or think I was more caring than my losing. And
it got better...
As she told her friends on the phone that night after getting home, she
bragged how sweet I was to let her win. All the other boyfriends ridiculed
their dates, I had kept my mouth shut from embarrassment and it worked. My loss
turned out to be my gain. A dating maneuver that others would later claim for
their own was started that night by me. And so you see, I really don’t like
golf, but it does have it good sides. But so does keeping your mouth
shut.
Funny how the tongue can get you in trouble, or keep you out. Being a
charter member of the”I’ll Show You and Say Something Stupid Club” I am still
learning while silence is golden. And if you don’t say it, it is harder to be
misquoted. James warns us that the tongue can be evil, with it we both praise
God, but then curse his creation. Or worse him. Can fresh water and bad water
come from the same spring? Scripture also alludes to us that what is on our
heart, will come out of our mouths. Also our attitudes, hmmm? Maybe he is on
to something here....Jesus tells us the tongue is a world of evil waiting to
corrupt us, spreading wildfires like the gates of hell if not controlled. Both
my golf game and putting were out of character for me that night, but by being
silent I was vindicated. In my silence, I lost the round, but won the date. If
only life were that simple, a good reminder can be this parable of the golf
game. If you don’t say it, it cannot be repeated. And is harder to misquote.
But showing love when it is on your heart, which can only come from a loving
God, reveals God in you. No one has seen God, but many will see you today. Be
the one that the Bible speaks of in love, show Jesus in actions and attitudes,
using words when needed. My golf game needed help that night, but my dating
game increased because of it. Proving all things work for good for those called
by God. Right there in Romans. And if it works for golf, and dating, imagine
how it can improve your riding skill? Social skills? Your relationship with
Christ?
Avoid the rush of being known as the unstable man, who has problems in all
his ways. Let the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart be
pleasing to the Lord. Do not be double minded, saying one thing and doing
another. God doesn’t keep score, others do. And are sure to remind you when
you aren’t up to par. I never let Marcia know I didn’t let her win on purpose.
That was a gift from me I didn’t know I was giving. Everyone likes to be a
winner, she won twice that night. But so did I. And you can too. When it
appears all hope is lost, remember it appeared that way at the cross. But three
days later it all changed-forever. Jesus will change your heart, and your
game. And its plans. He didn’t say he who has a mouth let him speak, he did
say he who has an ear let him hear. Proven one night at miniature golf, on a
date we both would remember. Unlucky at cards, lucky at love....I find trusting
Jesus much better. And you can quote me on that.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com