Narrow Way: Week One — Salt & Light
“You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.”
Matthew 5:13–14
Welcome back to Golf Church.
If this is your first time here, my name is Cooper. I’m a professional golfer preparing for PGA TOUR Q-School, but more importantly, I’m a follower of Jesus learning what it looks like to say yes to Him wherever He leads me.
This week we're starting something new. For the next several weeks, we're going to walk through parts of the Sermon on the Mount together. I'm calling it The Narrow Way Series.
Jesus says later in this sermon:
“Enter through the narrow gate… small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life.”
Matthew 7:13–14
The Narrow Way isn't about trying harder, cleaning ourselves up, or proving we're good Christians.
The Narrow Way begins and ends with Jesus.
And that's important before we talk about being salt and light.
You Are
Something stood out to me reading Matthew 5.
Jesus doesn't say, “Try really hard to become the light of the world.”
For most of my life I thought that if I tried hard enough, put in the hours and achieved something notable then I would finally be enough. But Jesus says the opposite.
He says:
“You are the light of the world.”
We don't become light because we're good people, go to church, know Scripture, or serve enough.
It's only because of Jesus.
Jesus says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.”
So when He calls us the light of the world, He's not telling us to create our own light.
He's telling us to carry His.
That takes so much pressure off.
My job isn't to walk onto a golf course and convince everyone I have it figured out. I don't.
My job is to stay close to Jesus and allow His light to shine through the life He's given me.
Why Are You Here?
I've been thinking about this question:
Why are you wherever God has placed you?
For me, one of those places is golf.
I believe God has called me to pursue professional golf. I'm preparing for Q-School and working my butt off to become the best golfer I can possibly become.
But I'm realizing this calling isn't only about golf.
There are people all along this road. Players. Caddies. Coaches. Volunteers. Sponsors. People working at the course. Someone sitting next to me on an airplane.
I've spent most of my life looking at golf courses thinking about scores.
Now I'm learning to look around and see people.
God has me standing on a particular driving range or playing with a particular person for a reason that has absolutely nothing to do with golf.
Golf Means Something Different Now
For a long time, golf carried way too much weight in my life.
How I played could determine how I felt about myself.
Then came an injury and a season of pain where the things I thought I could control suddenly weren't in my control anymore. There was a point where I couldn't even walk, let alone chase professional golf.
Then Jesus changed my life.
He didn't just give me golf back.
He gave golf a different purpose.
I still want to make the PGA TOUR. Probably more than I ever have.
But I don't want to become so focused on where I'm trying to go that I miss why God has me where I am today.
Making the PGA TOUR doesn't make my light brighter.
Winning doesn't make my light brighter.
Having a great testimony doesn't make my light brighter.
Only Jesus does.
Without Him, I have nothing to shine.
Don't Hide It
Jesus continues:
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16
That's the whole point.
They glorify the Father. Not us.
The goal isn't for someone to walk away thinking, Cooper is such a great guy.
I want them wondering:
What is different about him?
And I want the answer to be Jesus.
The joy isn't mine. The peace isn't mine. The hope isn't mine.
The light isn't mine. It's Jesus.
Anything good coming through me is evidence of what He has done and is doing in me.
As You Go
Following Jesus doesn't require a stage or a microphone.
It's lived out as you go.
As you go to work. As you raise your kids. As you walk onto the golf course. As you travel. As you chase whatever calling God has placed on your life.
You need Jesus, and then you faithfully walk the road He's put in front of you.
For me, that road includes golf. So yes, I'm going to practice. I'm going to compete. I'm going to prepare for Q-School with everything I've got.
But I don't want to walk past the people God puts directly in front of me because I'm too busy looking at where I'm trying to get.
God didn't put us where we are only to succeed there.
A Prayer
Jesus,
Thank You that we don't have to create our own light. You are the Light of the world.
Help us stay close to You and open our eyes to the people You've placed around us. Wherever You have us today, help us remember we're there for a reason.
Let our lives point away from ourselves and toward You.
Amen.
Take It to the Tee
Before you walk into work, onto the golf course, into school, or wherever God has placed you this week, pray:
“Jesus, show me why You have me here today.”
Then look up and pay attention to the people around you.
You don't have to create the light. You just have to stay close to the One who is.