A Golf Lesson

1 John 4:7

We are about to enter into Augusta’s season of hospitality as we welcome the annual flood of Masters golf patrons (I do love it that this tournament does not have “fans,” but “patrons”-I guess art comes in many forms). For one week out of the year, Augusta becomes something completely different. 

That is a good thing.

Hospitality is biblical. One of the hallmarks of Israel was her determination to practice hospitality as faithfulness. In the Torah, there is an entire section dealing with strangers and sojourners (cf. Lev. 19 or Lev. 25). Israel would practice the art of welcome, something that would make Israel unique among her neighbors. Sojourners were not to be met with fear or derision, but would be met with openness and acceptance. 

The hope is that meeting a stranger with hospitality sets the tone for what will come later. If we welcome a stranger, then perhaps they will soon be a friend, and if they become friends, then reasons for fear dissolve. Peace can reign.

Listening to folks who open their homes to visitors during Masters Week reveals the wisdom in God’s admonition to Israel. Folks develop relationships with their visitors. The prevalent pattern is to have the same visitors year after year, and since Masters tickets are basically heirlooms kept for life, those years can add up. One friend of mine annually welcomes the same Japanese businessman and his family. They have kept up during the off months, followed children through school, college, welcomed grandchildren, and generally become pieces of each other’s lives. I would not launch into exaggerated claims that this friendship smoothed international waters, but it does diminish some personal borders. As that happens, love blossoms and connections deepen.

For others of us, the welcome is less involved. For us, practicing hospitality means being patient when our favorite eateries are stuffed to the gills when all we want is a quick supper. It means relinquishing all rights and privileges to Washington Road as it wends past Augusta National--at least, during the morning and late afternoon hours--absolutely, positively need some homemade hummus from Fresh Market grocery? Go at 200 PM--no waiting. It means mindfully listening as a stranger asks for directions from the Evans Starbucks to Augusta National--turn left on Washington Road, pray (my standard response)--thirty times while trying to respond to a vital email from your child’s college. Being kind, smiling, and really listening may well change a stranger’s view of us who live here. For still others of us, practicing hospitality means getting out of the way. We leave. We hit the highway. There will be more than enough replacements for us while we are away. It means we will not meet anyone with impatience, perturbed annoyance, or mumbled grumpiness because our usual haunts are too full be haunted by us regulars. 

See?

Hospitality comes in many forms. All of them are reasonable and good.

And all of them are faithful.

They are the presence of love embodied in us as we are. 

That is what Christ seeks from us--to be his love for the world in our presence in the world. Practicing hospitality is a perfect means by which to do so. It allows us to become other-centered. It leads us into the art of self-sacrifice. 

So, Masters Week--a week of golf--becomes a perfect retreat for those of us seeking to further our work of love in Christ.

Enjoy!