Considering how poorly I played golf (I stopped playing after I broke my ankle 20 years ago), I’m always nervous about using my golf skills to illustrate how to follow the Way of Jesus.

One bit of golfing wisdom that I always had trouble putting into practice was: “Let the golf club do the work!”.

For me, this is almost as impossible as to follow the Way of Jesus by faith. Not by works lest I boast. (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Yet it is true. And it’s an example of how God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness. And of how God’s grace is sufficient for me. (2 Corinthians 12:9).

My problem was that if I tried to swing the golf club by relying on my own strength, I would always do something wrong that ruined my swing.

My right hand pushed too hard. My left hand pulled too hard.

I was breathing in at the wrong time. I was breathing out at the wrong time.

I was moving my head. I wasn’t moving my head.

I especially found it irritating when a trainer would rattle off a string of actions to remember and implement, then conclude by commanding me: “Relax!”.

It is much the same as trying to live my life by following what the Bible says. Or trying to live my life while puzzling over “What would Jesus do?”.

No wonder that, if I was relying on my own strength, my ball went astray. Too far left. Too far right. Too short. Too long. (Isaiah 53:6).

This point was driven home by a story that a golfer told me about the best round of golf he ever played.

He was playing in a tournament after being sick with pneumonia for several weeks. He could barely walk. Barely use his arms to swing his club.

Out of his weakness, he had to let his “club do the work.”

The strength of the club was made perfect in his weakness.

This reminds me that I should always allow God to work through my life. Because the strength of the LORD is made perfect in my weakness.

God’s grace will always be sufficient for me.

If my faith in God’s strength keeps me relaxed as God swings my club, my ball won’t go astray to the right or to the left. My shot won’t be too short. Or too long.

For the golf swings of the LORD are not like my golf swings.

Neither are my ways of swinging the golf club like his ways.

When the golf swing of the LORD accomplishes what he desires

     and achieves the purposes for which the LORD swung it,

I will go out in joy

     and be led forth in peace.

And everyone who sees the results will clap their hands.

(Paraphrasing Isaiah 55:8-12).

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

When does thinking carefully about right and wrong help you take wise actions? How? Why?

When does “over-thinking” about right and wrong lead you to take foolish inactions? How? Why?

READ MORE

For another illustration based on my clumsiness, please read my blog “Spilling Coffee”.

For more of my thoughts about how to determine right and wrong, wise and foolish, please read the following Appendices in my book The Promised Land, at pages 153-194: “How To Apply the Word of God Authoritatively”, “How To Apply the Bible to Specific Matters”, “The Accuracy and Reliability of the Bible”, “The Spirit in Which To Study and Apply the Bible”, “Thoughts About the First Eleven Chapters of Genesis”, and “Tax Law Concepts Regarding Adam, Eve, Etc.”.