Tom Barnes and Bob Russell

Tom Barnes and Bob Russell

My friend Tom Barnes recently asked me to participate in a member/guest golf tournament at Valhalla Country Club.  My golf game has never been very good and I’m not the kind of talent that normally shows up at competitive events – especially at classy courses like Valhalla.  But I was honored, it sounded like fun and I knew I’d enjoy being with Tom, so I agreed.

One of the things I appreciated about the tournament was the opportunity to spend some time with a number of guys who don’t go to church anywhere.  They sometimes get a little nervous about being around a preacher but I liked trying to break down some of their misconceptions about the church.

During the first couple of nine-hole matches I played very poorly.  In contrast, Tom played extremely well and we wound up winning our flight. At one point I apologized for my play and said, “Tom, we’re winning but I’m not contributing much to our team”.  “Oh, no!” he insisted.  “The guys we’re playing against are so uptight about playing with you; they can’t cuss and they’re not playing their normal games.  That’s why we’re winning!”

It was good to know I was making a contribution!  After one match, one of our opponents joked, “We couldn’t possibly compete in this match.  It’s three against two!  How can you compete against Jesus?”

Pictured above are Tom Barnes and I during that tournament two weeks ago.  I’m the normal sized person on the right.  Tom is a great man but not a perfect man.  He’s struggled with a height problem since the sixth grade and has not been able to overcome it to this day!  A tall, good golfer plus a short, intimidating preacher made for a winning combination.  PGA General Manager Keith Reese, Head PGA Pro Chris Hamburger and the Valhalla crew did a fantastic job making every guest feel welcome.  We had a great time.

Here are three spiritual lessons I was reminded of during our weekend together at Valhalla:

1. We need to be intentional about being with non-Christians.  If I’m not careful, I spend all my time with church people.  That’s where I’m most comfortable.  But Jesus commanded us to be salt and light in the world.  To propagate the gospel it’s imperative that we deliberately mingle with those who may not share our faith.

2. Laughter and a spirit of joy are often the best way to represent Christ.  The members of Valhalla all respect and like Tom Barnes, not just because he’s a good golfer but because he’s always a gentleman and fun to be with.  I’m thankful he wasn’t ashamed to invite his preacher to be a part of the tournament and we laughed a lot together.  The Bible says, “A merry heart does good like medicine.”  A joyful spirit is contagious and breaks down barriers.

3. These are days of opportunity for those who represent Christ.  One of the guys we played with said, “Preacher, I’m not a religious man, but I know something is drastically wrong with our country.  We’ve lost all sense of right and wrong.  You see it in the work place all the time. Makes you wonder what’s going to happen.”

Even the secular world recognizes we’ve lost our moral compass and we’re in trouble. I disagree with Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel on most political issues.  However, he spoke the truth when he once advised President Obama, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”

When the electricity goes out it’s a great time to be selling flashlights.  A crisis can be a golden opportunity to advance a cause, and if that cause is a Godly one it can reap eternal benefits.  The Apostle Paul used the crisis of a severe earthquake to preach the gospel and convert the Philippian jailer.  (See Acts 16) The current turmoil in the world and uncertainty in our nation can cultivate the soil of hard hearts and make people receptive to the truth about Jesus – the only hope of the world.

Ephesians 5:15 advises, “Be very careful then how you live –not as unwise but as wise; making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil”.  That applies to our day – even on the golf course.