Carroll Baptist Church
Saturday, March 14, 2009
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Carroll Baptist Church
Saturday, March 14, 2009
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Good Guys: Tom Lehman and Steve JonesOne warm summer day in 1996 I sat in front of the television watching Tom Lehman and Steve Jones play the last nine holes of the U.S. Open golf tournament. This is one of golf's four Major championships. Careers are often evaluated by whether or not a golfer has ever won a "Major". I was pulling for Lehman. He is a classy guy, a fierce competitor and also a strong Christian. Jones was a virtual unknown. Lehman began the day with a one shot lead but after 17 holes it was dead even. I don't believe God gets too concerned about sporting events but I did feel He could have been paying a little more attention when Lehman hit a long tee shot on 18 that took a bad roll and wound up in a sand trap. Jones barely missed a birdie putt but won the tournament when Lehman couldn't get his 15 foot par putt to drop. Then Jones stepped to the mike. Among his first words were thanks to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That got my attention. But it was the story behind the words that enthralled me. His once promising career had been in serious jeopardy after an accident on a dirtbike left him with potentially career ending injuries. Unlike athletes in other pro sports, golfers have no guaranteed salaries. For almost three years he went without a tournament paycheck. The ligament in his index finger never healed properly so he had to find a new way to grip the club. Progress was slow - sometimes one step forward, two steps back. And then came the 1996 Open and one of the great comeback stories in sports unfolded. Something else remarkable took place that day also. Steve Jones' tremendous comeback captured the headlines. But it was his report of the the comments of Tom Lehman during that last 18 holes that captured my heart. It is the stuff of true sportsmanship. It is that quality which enables athletes and their contests to lift up, to challenge the human spirit. In short, it is what sports should be about. As they began play that day, Lehman would come up to Jones and pray for their round. He prayed that the Lord would be glorified regardless of what happened. And then during the final nine holes, Lehman said "The Lord would have us to be strong and of good courage. This is the will of God." Lehman was already a big winner on the PGA tour. He had been there before. He could easily have played his own game and let Steve deal with his own nerves. Like many pro athletes he could have played mind games with his opponent which probably would have meant victory on the golf course. He would have had the headlines. But he did the uncommon thing and everyone who read of it was better for it. May his tribe increase. |
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