You are His Hole-in-One!
As some of you may know, I’ve recently ventured into the world of used golf ball sales. We live in a subdivision with a golf course and for over ten years, we’ve taken our Golden Retriever, Dudley, on a golf cart ride almost every night. On our route, we cover four holes of the golf course and every once in a while, we’d find a ball and pick it up. Over the years, we had accumulated MANY balls…like thousands! I asked Dennis what we were going to do with all of them because they were taking up a LOT of space in the garage. Then, a friend from church and avid golfer told us that people sell used golf balls online. So began my journey…find, wash, sort, sell, repeat!
We find all kinds of balls…all brands, all models, all colors, and some with interesting logos or company names. Some are clean, like they just got played that day, and some look like they’ve been in the woods for a year. Some are pristine, as if they’re brand new, and others are scuffed and worn. When I first started selling, I’d pick out only the best of what I had, because I thought nobody would want the “ugly” balls. But one day, I decided to test the waters and list what golfers refer to as “shag” balls. They are by far my best seller and as soon as I acquire 100 and list them, they sell!
So maybe you’ve figured out why I’m telling you about ugly golf balls, or maybe you’re scratching your head questioning my sanity, but God shows me nuggets of His wisdom in my day to day, and sharing that is what HOPE Notes is all about. You see, just because I thought the balls were ugly and unsellable, the fact that they sell quickly tells me that there is someone out there that doesn’t care about the outward appearance of the ball. We put way too much emphasis on what the world thinks of us instead of pursuing what God says of us. I recently saw a picture and comment of a lady dressed in jeans and a t-shirt attending church, and the comment was that she was being irreverent, mocking the house of God. My first thought was, “I wear jeans and t-shirts to church.” The fact is, God cares about your heart, not your wardrobe. Who are we to judge the outward appearance? We don’t know…maybe she was someone off the street and needed to hear some encouragement from a refreshing message. Maybe she would give here heart to the Lord. But if she feels unworthy because of one person’s reaction, she may turn and run.
I know the golf balls I find don’t have feelings, but I labeled some unworthy because all I saw was that they were scuffed up or faded. My initial reaction cost me money in potential sales because I either threw them in the trash or gave them away. Don’t let the world place labels on you because of how you look on the outside. You are more than that to God and His opinion of you is that you perfect just the way you are…His hole-in-one!