“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 2:5 (NASB)

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A golf pro teaching a group lesson once posed the following question to his students: “When you tee off, how big is the target you are aiming for?” The students thought and gradually started sharing guesses — 30 feet, 40 feet, 50 feet and so on. Each one was trying to estimate the size of the green. After some more guesses, the instructor told them they were all wrong. The students were even more puzzled when he informed them that their target is always 4.5 inches in diameter.

On any tee shot, the target is always the cup, which seems impossible, as that implies a goal of a hole-in-one … even when the pin is 300-500-plus yards away! Having anticipated the students’ disbelief, the instructor chuckled as he began to explain that the intent was to change their mindset. If golfers aim for the green and miss, they could end up in a bunker, the rough or even a water hazard. If they aim for the pin and miss, they’re on the green which, practically speaking, is right where they want to be.

In Scripture, we’re given a command that is seemingly even more impossible: Be like Christ. Imperfect, sinful humans are commanded to be like the perfect Son of God. Why would God ask us to do something we inherently can’t do?

Like the golf lesson, the believer is challenged to change their mindset. In his letter to the church in Philippi, the apostle Paul writes, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5, NASB). The subsequent verses go on to describe how Christ acted in humility — giving up His right to glory and power as the Son of God to be fully man and becoming a servant. He was obedient to the Father when He took on the punishment we deserved. That same humility and obedience are what we need to fulfill Paul’s charge to the Philippian church.

In the Book of Isaiah, we read that “all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isaiah 64:6, NASB). To put it in golfing terms: When we try to “live right” in our own strength, it’s like a shot aimed at the green that ends up in a hazard! Conversely, when we aim at the pin — Christ Himself — even our misses land on the green.

Make it a daily prayer to humble yourself, submit to God’s will, and seek to serve rather than be served. While we’re still prone to error, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to do extraordinary things we could have never dreamed of on our own. It’s like landing on a soft, lush green in prime position to sink a putt.

— David Kosydar

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