April 2023
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30
Heavenly Competition!
I recently experienced the thrill of playing in the PGA Tour Bay Hill Pro-Am tournament with the young 20-year-old President’s Cup star, Tom Kim.
The cost is normally $10,000 per amateur golfer and when a businessman had to withdraw, I became the last-minute free substitute! (Big thanks to Orlando Health Foundation President and friend, John Bozart!)
Playing Bay Hill in front of the crowds is great fun but the difficulty of the set-up for PGA Tour golf is humbling to attempt. Chris Johnson, a golf pro I led to Christ years ago, was kind enough to caddie for me and we had a blast working our way around the course.
Earlier on the practice green I enjoyed visiting with Scottie Schefler and Jordan Spieth way more than doing any actual putting myself.
Knowing these two love the Lord and compete at the highest level of golf gives me great joy. Being able to share my faith with golfers, volunteers and caddies made for a splendid day of golf! Sports and competition offered to Christ can be a terrific asset for evangelism.
“I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” I Cor. 9:23
Since my back surgery I felt enough improvement to qualify for the Florida Senior Amateur held at the beautiful Ocala Country Club. The first day I quickly realized many of the golfers in the Championship Division were professional golfers who had returned to amateur status.
The second thing I observed was they were from all around the world and not just Florida. This quickly became a target rich environment to try and win souls!
Tom Randall Reflects on the Power of Faith and Forgiveness in Golf and Life
“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10
The first day of competition I played with Richard Harris from Zimbabwe, a friendly South African with a shocking story. He was a fifth-generation farmer and landowner when the new government seized his land and house and gave him two weeks’ notice to move out.
Devastated and depressed he moved the family to Canada and started over.
This gifted golfer found a new future and was providentially paired with me for five hours when he came to play in the Senior Amateur here in Florida.
At dinner I told him about the Savior who is just and saves anyone who repents and how no one can take your future and your home in heaven. There are few joys that match the joy of leading someone to Christ.
You experience a wonderful joy within! The angels know even better than we do what we are saved from and to and they rejoice.
In contrast, I was paired with Paul M. from San Francisco the next day. His first hole was a disaster, and he began cussing and throwing clubs that continued and caused tension for the foursome for the next five hours.
He would not engage in any conversation the whole round. It saddened me to spend the day with a 65-year-old man whose attitude and misery were dictated by his results in a golf competition.
Someone who could tell him about the Savior who brings forgiveness, hope, and joy was sitting next to him all day and he denied himself the opportunity to hear the Good News.
“…let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:20
The final round I was paired with Roger Schiffman who spent 30 years as the editor of Golf Digest and author of six books of golf stories. A pairing made in heaven for sure! His wife, Patricia, a sports psychologist, joined us for dinner. We prayed together capping a spectacular week of heavenly competition.
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
II Chron. 7:14
Because He Lives,
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