Reaching One's Potential

I spent far too much time today following The Open Championship (or British Open golf), but with 3 or 4 Aussies in the top 10 all day it was compelling!

Australians have a lot of golf stories. Most of them are near misses.

The most famous is Greg Norman's second place at the 1987 Masters when he found himself in a playoff with Seve Ballesteros and Larry Mize. Larry Mize played this shot to win the green jacket:

Overall, Norman posted three runner-up finishes at the Masters and finished second at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship two times each.

In the 1970's, Bruce Crampton came second in major championships 4 times. Jack Nicklaus won each of those tournaments.

In 1995 Steve Elkington won the PGA Championship at the Riviera Country Club. Since then, Geoff Ogilvy and Adam Scott are the only other Aussies to win any of golf's four majors. In that same time period Australian golfers have accumulated these near misses by coming in second at the majors:

• Jason Day - 3
• Adam Scott - 2
• Stuart Appleby - 1
• Mark Leishman - 1

Then there are other occasions when an Australian has held the lead going into the final day's play, only to sink down the leaderboard as the day progressed. Most notably, Adam Scott at the 2012 British Open and Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters.

Here's a summary of the Australian fortunes at the Open Championship in 2015:

• At the end of the third round: Day - T1; Leishman and Scott - T6
• Final Results:
• Leishman shoots 6 under but loses a playoff.
• Day shoots 2 under and misses a playoff by one shot.
• Scott shoots 1 under, finishing in a tie for 10th.

 My role as a church leader is much like the experience of coaching athletes. I can lay out an individualised training schedule, we can collaborate to come up with a game plan for life, but if the individual doesn't carry it out then they never reach their full potential in God's kingdom.

So I thought today I'd look for some spiritual advise for Christians who find themselves in the same situation as these guys in the Open Championship.

Spiritual Leishman: Many Christians will connect with Marc's story. Earlier this year his wife was so sick she spent four days in an induced coma and doctors gave her a less that 5% chance of surviving. The prospect of losing his wife and giving up his sport to care for his two young sons has given Leishman a new perspective on life and golf, "'I feel like even if I do have a bad day I can still go home and, hopefully, give her a hug and cuddle my boys. For a while it didn't look like I was going to be able to do that.'"

Many Christians have scares and hurts in life that can either drag us down or spur us on. What often makes the difference is our perspective. Will our failures devastate and immobilise  us? Abraham reminds us that a Christian perspective never puts too much stock in the here and now. We're living for a more important goal.

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.  Hebrews 11:9-10

Spiritual Day: Since 2010 Jason Day has nine top 10 finishes in majors without winning any! He obviously has the talent to compete with the best golfers in the world but always seems to fall just short of victory. Is it a mental thing? Is it nerves? Is it inexperience? Day also has significant health problems and finished 4th at this years US Open despite obviously battling vertigo on the course.

I know people who struggle like this. Despite having the necessary skills and determination, in the decisive moment they find themselves giving in to temptation. Failing to live up to their (and God's) expectations. They persist, trusting God for ultimate victory, but in the meantime their failures frustrate them. The apostle Paul reflects this experience in his writing.

Now I am no longer the one acting—I’ve lost control—sin has taken up residence in me and is wreaking havoc. I know that in me, that is, in my fallen human nature, there is nothing good. I can will myself to do something good, but that does not help me carry it out. I can determine that I am going to do good, but I don’t do it; instead, I end up living out the evil that I decided not to do. If I end up doing the exact thing I pledged not to do, I am no longer doing it because sin has taken up residence in me. Romans 7:17-20 (VOICE)

Thankfully, a few verses later Paul also provides some hope for us,

Therefore, now no condemnation awaits those who are living in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, because when you live in the Anointed One, Jesus, a new law takes effect. The law of the Spirit of life breathes into you and liberates you from the law of sin and death.  Romans 8:1-2 (VOICE)

Spiritual Scott: In 2013 Australia anointed Adam Scott a national hero after he became the first Australian to win the Masters. On May 19, 2014, Scott took over as the World's #1 ranked golfer. Scott held the number one ranking for eleven weeks until August 2014. But mixed in with all this success have been some gut wrenching performances at the majors.

Since 2012 Scott has finished 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 10th at the Open Championship. At least in 2012 and 2015 he's been in contention for the win until a string of bogeys in the final round ruined his chances.

Scott's majors record reminds me of David. He knew the wonders of intimacy with God yet he also experienced some massive setbacks with sin. Some of David's sins were public and resulted in people losing their lives! Here's what he learned. Despite all his success he still needed God's mercy to sustain him. It's easy for us to become overconfident in our gifts and abilities, so failures can really devastate us unless we're willing to acknowledge our dependence upon God.

After committing murder and adultery David wrote these words to God,

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.

Psalm 51:10-13

Even in his lowest points he recognised that God could re-create him and in time use him to inspire others in their walk with God.

This turned into quite a long post, but I hope you pick up the point that as we mentor people in the way of Christ, they go through the same human ups and downs that we all do. Often it's easier to think about athletes "They'll do better next time," than to have the same optimism about people we know well.  Just as we don't expect the coaches of these players to give up on them because they didn't win this weekend, it's important for us to persist investing in those we lead.

Favourites of the Masters 2013

At the conclusion of the first days' play of the 2013 Masters an Australian, Marc Leishman shared the lead with Sergio Garcia. Leishman is certainly not a big name in professional golf. He's only ever won one tournament and in 2012 finished 28th in the FedEx Cup rankings and this year is ranked just 104th on the money list entering the Masters. But he's still a pretty young golfer and no mug. In 2009 he won the PGA Tour's "Rookie of the Year" award.

Yet as I searched to find some articles about his round and bit of his background, I drew a blank. I could find plenty of articles about Tiger Woods shooting a 70. I also found lots of coverage of a 14 year old amateur from China who shot a 73. (Which is truly amazing!!!) I found editorials (Thanks Rick Reilly) pondering if this was going to be Sergio's breakthrough at last. But I could hardly find more than a paragraph on Leishman. Check out this ESPN summary, and at the very end you get a couple of Leishman comments.

Then when the dust settled after Day 2 of the Masters, another Aussie found himself in the lead: Jason Day. One stroke clear of Marc Leishman and Fred Couples. At one stage "The Next Big Thing" from Down Under, Day has failed to live up to that billing. However, he's still had a handy career and is young. Two Aussies in the top 3!!!

Again I went searching for articles and again only found headlines like this BBC gem, "Tiger Woods Stays in the Hunt as Day Leads". Well at least Day got a mention! Again that 14yo stole the spotlight after he was penalised a stroke for slow play. Then even later Tiger hit the headlines again when a review of the days play resulted in him receiving a 2 stroke penalty for an improper drop.

Now I understand how the media works. They make money when people read their articles. Tiger Woods and a 14yo golf prodigy will generate more readers than two relatively unknown Australians, even if they're leading the Masters. Like CNN and Fox sports media also thrives on controversy. So the sports radio today was filled with discussion about the two penalties.

• Should Guan have received a penalty? 
• Did the Augusta Golf Club have a grudge against a 14 year old making the cut? 
• Did it impact the reputation of the course to have kid shoot 73? 
• Should Tiger have been disqualified?
• Should TV viewers be allowed to phone in rules violations?
• Should Tiger have withdrawn?
• Did Tiger receive favorable treatment?

In this ESPN article Gene Wojciechowski argues that Tiger didn't receive special treatment with his penalty. But when we consider how much of a draw Tiger is and how he impacts TV ratings at first glance it sure looks like he received favorable treatment. And perception is everything. In years to come this will be remembered as the Masters in which Tiger should have been disqualified.

Then when Day 3 is finally in the books 3 Aussies find themselves in 3rd & equal 4th. This is a remarkable opportunity for a proud golf nation that has never had a winner at the Masters. Several Aussies have come close, but all found ways to lose. So who are the media going to write about now? Tiger again? Guan?

Well, finally the leader of the Masters gets some love!! On the ESPN home page there's a story all about Grant Snedeker. Mind you, there's also a headline about a certain 14 year old golfer and his slow play again. AND a picture of Tiger with the headline "Tiger Shoots 70".

So what's my point?

1. C'mon Aussies!!!!  Pleeeeease, can one of you win this thing and erase the ghosts of 1996!!! (I just cringed typing that!!)

2. Favoritism is evil! I understand and accept the commercial realities that mean not all golfers are treated equal. But I don't like it. It stinks. God thinks so too. That's why he warns the church several times not to play favourites.

Favouritism ruined the Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 11. When the church in Corinth came together the wealthy ate together, and the hungry Christians watched them. Paul went so far as to say that their celebration of the Lord's Supper wasn't even the Lord's Supper. It was unacceptable!

Favoritism. Prejudice. Racism. Elitism. Cliques. Homogenous Communities. Call them what you will, it has no place in the church.

The author of James addresses this issue as a major topic in chapter 2. Here's his summary.

"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers."

But that wouldn't really happen in the church today would it? Surely we wouldn't treat two guests on the same Sunday morning differently based on their clothing, or piercing, or education, or wealth, or beauty, or marital status, or number of children, or singing ability, or... Surely we wouldn't do that in our church!

"REALLY? Not even if Tiger Woods walked through the door?"