The Women’s Tee Box

            It can be difficult when our failures become public. Several years ago, a gentleman recounted an awkward moment he had experienced on the golf course:

            It was a sunny Saturday morning on the course and I was at the beginning of my pre-shot routine, visualizing my upcoming shot, when a voice came over the loudspeaker.

            "Would the gentleman on the women's tee back up to the men's tee please!"

            I was still deep in my routine, seemingly impervious to the interruption.

            Again the announcement, "Would the gentleman on the women's tee kindly back up to the men's tee!"

            I simply ignored the guy and kept concentrating, when once more, the man yelled: "WOULD THE MAN ON THE WOMEN'S TEE PLEASE BACK UP TO THE MEN'S TEE!!"

            I finally stopped, turned, looked through the clubhouse window directly at the person with the microphone and shouted back, "WOULD THE IDIOT IN THE CLUBHOUSE KINDLY SHUT UP AND LET ME PLAY MY SECOND SHOT!"

            All of us hit "bad shots" that eventually come to light. All of us fail. All us fall short of God’s glory.

            It seems appropriate, therefore, that we maintain an attitude of winsome humility. That’s what a sinless Jesus did. Thinking of Jesus, Paul wrote,

            Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves (Phil. 2:3). CEV