Laying up short

Most of you know that Tiger Woods added another trophy to his already clogged mantelpiece, this one was his fourteenth major golf tournament second only to Jack Nicklaus' 18. And Tiger's only 32 years old.

For those of you who knew about his win, you'll likely finish this blog. For those of you who think Tiger Woods is a section of the San Diego Zoo, please hang with me.

During this tournament that lasted five full rounds plus one hole of sudden death (tourneys are four rounds), Tiger Woods walked the longest course in US Open history with a torn ACL (way bad knee injury). Despite surgery earlier this year, every time he he muscled his driver, he didn't much care where the ball went because he was doubled up in pain as lightning shot behind his patella.

And still he played. He played some of the most amazing golf in the history of the game.

Now, he's done for the season. More surgery. No promises for the future.

Here's the question: When you're coming off of knee surgery and the knee obviously isn't fixed, why don't you quit and try and save the knee? No doubt each torque-maximized swing further damaged that knee. We would call that "playing it safe." The golfer, rather than going for the green and risking a bunker, the water, or out of bounds, lays the ball up short.

Here's the answer: Playing it safe, laying up short, rarely wins the golf tournament. Much less 39 total and 14 majors...at 32.

Here's the deal: We, like Tiger, have no promise for tomorrow. Why would we not pour our heart and soul into that which stokes our furnace, that for which God has given us great passion and great love? So what if it blows our knee not just for tomorrow but for ever? Tiger has no promise that his knee will ever again get him in contention for a tournament much less a major.

We don't know when God's going to call us home. Until that time, grip it and rip it!

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

(Associated Press photograph)