by Joanie Butman
While watching the closing moments of the Masters last month, I noticed my husband tearing up as Scottie Scheffler donned the legendary green jacket. I was shocked as Bob is not an emotional person. Seriously, there were tears in his eyes. I teased, “Really? THIS (golf) is what brings you to tears? Not the day we got married, the birth of your children or any of their many milestones?” He attempted to defend himself by saying I couldn’t understand the sacrifice and work involved in achieving such a victory. He’s absolutely right. Even watching golf feels like sacrifice and work to me. I learned an important lesson though: I can forget all my past vain attempts to break through his reserve. Who knew all I needed was a green jacket to tap into his well-hidden emotional side?
His tears reminded me of when I started Bible study 25 years ago. I was baffled by the number of tears I witnessed. Though it has taken me awhile – and believe me, I had my own tough shell to crack – I’ve finally realized that when God touches your soul, you can’t help but tear up. Coincidentally, I stumbled upon two references to the emotion I describe. The first is from Paulo Coelho’s, The Alchemist. It’s the story of a boy struggling to find his personal calling. Coelho asserts, “Be aware of the place where you are brought to tears. That’s where I am, and that’s where your treasure is.” The very next day while doing my Bible study homework, the Gospel of Matthew quotes Jesus as saying, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
There is no limit to how God chooses to reach people. If golf is your passion, you can bet He will use it in some way. Who am I to judge how anyone else connects with the Divine? There are plenty of golf devotionals out there. And there is no shortage of professionals who attribute their success to God – including Scottie Scheffler who shared the following during a post-match interview, “The reason why I play golf is I'm trying to glorify God and all that He's done in my life. So, for me, my identity isn't a golf score." In another interview he further explained, “People a lot of times think, well, if you become a Christian, God’s just gonna make everything easy for you, and that’s not the case. But having the God of the universe, the Creator, on your side just makes things a lot easier to deal with. And the principles of the Bible are something that, when you use them, you can see it manifest in your life.”
Coverage of Scheffler’s victory in Augusta was short-lived as news from Ukraine and the attack in the NY subway overshadowed it. In contrast, the good news of our Master’s victory is still just as vibrant over 2,000 years later. No one can deny that the training and preparation necessary to compete at the Master’s level is long and hard. The same can be said for any spiritual journey. We’ve all got a Master’s victory of our own to pursue when we persevere against all odds to claim the prize of salvation that Christ graciously provides.
Augusta’s iconic green jacket is unattainable for all but a few elite golfers. However, our Master's victory on that first Easter Sunday provides something infinitely more valuable and lasting. Jesus is waiting to clothe anyone with a white robe of righteousness when they choose to claim His precious gift of salvation - a gift achieved through His work and sacrifice not ours. Christ was resurrected once (the true Master’s victory), but blessedly we can experience the same miracle again and again. His resurrection power is a gift we, as believers, can choose to appropriate and celebrate every day. It’s a gift that always evokes tears of love and gratitude.