Learning from the Master

It has been a very exciting week for  British Golf fans as Danny Willett pulled off an amazing result to win the US Masters golf competition. He is the first British winner for 20 years and Willett has suddenly become a household name and has received messages of congratulations from countless people including the Prime Minister, David Cameron.

I am not normally into golf but I have followed Danny’s career with interest because his Dad, Steve, was the man who trained me when I was a curate (trainee Vicar).  My only claim to fame is that I borrowed Danny’s old clubs when playing golf with his Dad….but I am afraid they didn’t help as I think I ended up doing more air swings than anything else. When I did hit eventually hit the ball it did go a long way…but not where I needed it to go!!   I was very excited to hear about Danny’s success and  several things strike about this story of great sporting story are worth pondering. We can learn from this later Green Jacketed “Master”

Self- Belief

Steve always believed that Danny would make it to the big time and he would often talk about Danny’s approach to the game and his self-belief. When I was in Sheffield, Danny was new to the professional scene and in bigger competitions sometimes he would make the cut but often he wouldn’t. He often had problems with injury and to me it seemed that the great successes of his amateur days were quickly  becoming distant memories in this big world of professional golf. But I do not believed Danny saw things like this – he knew that things would come good. He believed that given the right conditions his first big win would come.

Determination

For anyone to succeed at professional sport a massive amount of determination is needed. Over the last couple of years Danny has known much success but to get to that stage he had to work through the years of much effort without the huge rewards that many initially expected. His family have been speaking recently about just how much Danny practices and just how focussed he is  and it is this practice, attitude and determination , along with prodigious natural talent, that have led to this outstanding triumph.

 Support team

Over the last few days Danny has been speaking much about the support he has received from numerous quarters from all his professional support from managers, agents, coaches, caddy to his personal support from his wife, parents and family and friends. It was good to hear how all the time he was speaking as “we” rather than “I” we he spoke about the shots that were made and the competition that was won. Danny Willett had a massive part in the Masters Success…he had the talent, he did the practice, he kept his nerve. But it wasn’t Danny alone that can take credit for the success – it was a big team that can feel very satisfied this week.

What about us?

We would do well to bring some of these experiences into our life. When we discover what we are talented at, we should have the self belief and confidence to go for it and really shine. We do not need to hold back! We need to be determined people that don’t throw the towel in too easily. When we “don’t make the cut” we just need to see it as a learning experience and get back to practice and do things differently next time. Whatever we do in life we need a support team to encourage us, advise us and work with us….things work much better with a team. Danny is now a golf master and we can learn from him. Much of what we learn from him I believe we can see magnified in the greatest master of all. Jesus knew who he was and what he was called to do and did it with a steely determination no matter how tough it got. He gathered a team around him…not the best of the best , but through his guidance and training they eventually became a great team that went on to change the world. I believe that if we invite him, he will cheer us on, support and guide us  as we attempt to live well to make the lives of other people better.

 

Update

Here is an interview I have just found in which Danny speaks about the team that supports him and how he says “we” a lot in his interviews http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/36039790

Role models

 

 

In Francesca Simon’s books, Horrid Henry(the boy sticking his tongue out) is rarely portrayed as a good example to others. His brother, Perfect Peter is quite the opposite and is desperate to be a good and to be a good example and role model to everyone. The stories are fun because they take something that has a grain of truth and they exaggerate it until it makes us laugh. The truth is that all of us encourage children and young people to be good examples to younger children.  We also find our own equivalents of Perfect Peter to be role models. This is absolutely natural and is generally a good thing to do.

Unfortunately we forget that all the very children we are talking to are actually looking to our example all the time. Children are amazing at spotting inconsistencies between what we say and what we do.

The BBC series Outnumbered captures this beautifully. The parents are desperate to bring up their children as truthful, kind and caring humans.  Most episodes contain several instances of the children spotting the parents being dishonest, rude or unkind to other adults and it is not surprising that the children have little respect for them. The acting of the children in the series is outstanding but the programme can also be painful to watch because we see some of our own inconsistencies in the way the parents behave.

Encouraging children to find good role models is an important task. However much more important is being that good role model ourselves.

 

Are we good role models?

Some challenging questions:

Are we people of integrity, or are there elements of dishonesty in our life?

Do we treat others with respect and dignity, or can children see that there are  people that we do not value?

Are we people that try hard with all that we do, or are we modelling a degree of laziness?

Are we people who take appropriate risks in life and live life to the full, or are we people that are showing young people that it is too frightening to “go for it” with life?

If you are a follower of Jesus there is a whole extra dimension in the way you are called to be a role model.

Does our life commend the faith, or does faith just seem like boring ritual?

Are we showing others what it means to love God with all that we have, or are we demonstrating a lukewarm faith?

Do we demonstrate a life of thanksgiving and faith, or do we let difficult circumstances overwhelm our faith and thankfulness?

 

How we live is important. Let’s spend it giving others an example that is worth following.

A Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Thank you for being a perfect role model. When I think that others are watching my life it feels daunting. Help me to desire to spend more time with you.  May the fruit of the spirit grow in me. When people look at me they see you in me. May your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, goodness and self-control increase in my life as I surrender it more to you. Amen