9/16/2025

I used to play golf.  A lot of golf.  I once walked 54 holes of golf in a day (over 15 miles).  I enjoyed hanging out with some of the guys I played with, but I came to recognize that being with some of them was affecting my character (it definitely impacted the language I would use!) 

I had become a follower of Jesus, and I wanted to develop a Christ-like character, but I’ll admit, I’m not sure that when I still played golf, I would’ve had the character of Sahith Theegala.

You may not know that name.  I didn’t.  Sahith Theegala was born in California to Indian immigrants and has become a dominant player on the PGA Tour.  Recently, he made headlines not for his talent but for his character.

He was playing a shot from a sand trap when he noticed a small amount of sand move on his backswing (touching the sand in this way is a violation of the rules.)  No one else saw the sand move, but Theegala immediately notified his playing partner and a rules official.

He was assessed a two-stroke penalty.  Can you guess what that cost him?   It ended up costing him $2.5 million in prize money.  Yes, $2.5 million.

How many of us reflect that kind of Christ-like character in our lives?  And when we don’t, what’s the cost?

C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity:

“When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world.  The war-time posters told us that Careless Talk Costs Lives.  It is equally true that Careless Lives Cost Talk.  Our careless lives set the outer world talking; and we give them grounds for talking in a way that throws doubt on the truth of Christianity itself.”

When Christians fail to live what we say we believe, why might we be surprised when non-Christians reject the faith we say we hold?

My experience was similar to what Jim Dension wrote:

“I was drawn to Christ through the character of the Christians I met.  I sensed in them a peace, purpose, and joy I lacked and came to faith because I was so impressed with the difference their faith made in their lives.”

When people look at our lives, is this what they see:

“The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  Galatians 5:22-23

-Michael