Opus 2013-1: What Price Dignity

Two years ago I still had hopes of getting my son interested in playing golf.  It was not to be.  My daughter though is now showing some interest.

Golf can teach you humility.  The boy and I were out one day and took the digital camera along.  We decided we would take some short motion pictures of our golf swings.  We have visions of the smooth strokes of the professionals.  We might need to tweak a little, and we were open to correction.  We quickly came down to earth.

The difference between what I thought I looked like and what I really looked like was staggering.  On camera I could see how awkward and uncoordinated I was.  I had no back swing and no follow through.  My illusions were shattered. 

Some people might march out and sign up for lessons.  Some might by new clubs or new outfits.  We coped by never taking the camera along again.  We will forget what it showed and get back to imagining how good we are.

How do we look at ourselves as children of God?  How we live our lives of obedience?  It would not be a pretty picture is we had spiritual cameras that showed it all. 

In golf we can take lessons.  In our spiritual walk we can also grow.  Both take practice and a willingness to listen to people who know better.  Both mean that we can’t just hide the camera.  To quote a Christmas carol,

God is not dead,
Nor does He sleep.

Happy New Year.  Make it a better one.

homo unius libri