Rory McIlroy’s Masters win and a transforming life principle

When I pastored in Atlanta, a former governor was a member of our church and gave me passes to attend the Masters several times. It is like no other place I’ve experienced. Television cameras and photographs cannot do justice to the overwhelming beauty, undulation, and majesty of the place. You can almost imagine the greatest golfers across the decades striding up its fairways and putting on its greens.

Since the Masters is the only major golf tournament to be played at the same course each year, Augusta National has taken on special importance for those who play it. Of all the tournaments they could win, most say winning the Masters is their greatest dream.

That’s what Rory McIlroy said after winning the 89^th playing of the Masters on Sunday: “My dreams have been made today.” He put the win into perspective: “I’m not going to compare it to life moments like marriage or having a child. But it’s the best day of my golfing life.”

For a child prodigy who has been playing the game since he was three, someone who has now won each of golf’s major titles and forty-four professional tournaments in all, that’s saying something.

But notice what he said next: “I’m proud of how I kept coming back and dusting myself off and not letting the disappointments really get to me.” His statement makes my point today.

Vince Lombardi’s prescription for victory

When I was in junior high, I read a book titled Winners Never Quit. It told the story of numerous great athletes and the trials and travails they experienced along the way. The title came from a quote attributed to the legendary coach Vince Lombardi: “Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

The statement is true on its logical merits: someone who wins a race obviously did not quit along the way, while someone who quits obviously could not win.

Unfortunately, what athletes know to be true in sports is a principle often overlooked in the rest of life.

One of the many negative consequences of a tolerance-centric, judgment-adverse culture is the fact that we so easily tolerate failure. We give “participation” awards to kids in sports simply for showing up. We are so concerned not to hurt the feelings of others that we avoid the vital and biblical principle of accountability.

Contrast our tolerance-centric therapeutic culture with Nathan confronting David after his sin with Bathsheba, or Jesus with the Pharisees and their hypocrisy (cf. Matthew 23), or Peter with Ananias and Sapphira, or Paul with the religious authorities of his day. Each acted for the good of those they were holding to biblical standards. And each took the risk of being rejected and worse.

My latest visit to the dermatologist

I’m writing this website article just after seeing my dermatologist. Since I’ve had all three kinds of skin cancer, she is diligent to check on me regularly.

This time she didn’t find anything to freeze or remove surgically, which is good (and unusual) news. But if she had and didn’t want to tell me lest she hurt my feelings, her “kindness” would obviously cause me much greater harm than her honesty.

I used to tell my seminary students, “You don’t want to stand next to a lost person before God, hear them condemned to an eternity in hell, and have them turn to you and say, ‘Why didn’t you warn me?’” If our reply is, “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings,” how would they then respond?

Conversely, if we help the people we influence to think biblically and live redemptively, choosing to live in the power of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and fulfill God’s purpose for their lives (cf. Acts 1:8), they will be grateful for all of eternity. As will we.

“Laid up for me the crown of righteousness”

Vince Lombardi’s sentiment also applies to us personally. When our time in this world is done, we need to be able to testify with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). If we can, we can claim what follows: “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (v. 8, my emphasis).

Those who “loved his appearing” are those who live so fully in God’s will that they are ready for Jesus to return (his “appearing”) and even “loved” (sought earnestly) for it to come immediately. They hold themselves accountable to God’s word and will in the power of his Spirit, seeking above all to please their Lord and serve him fully.

They know they will face adversity as those who oppose their Lord oppose his servants as well (cf. Acts 14:22). But no matter who or what comes against them, they refuse to quit, which makes them winners in the kingdom of God.

So, let me ask you: Do you want Jesus to return today?

Can you pray with John, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

If not, why not?