Not About The Money

by Bill Crowder, Sports Spectrum Chaplain

The film “Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius,” follows the life and career of golfer Bobby Jones. In it, there is a critical scene where Jones is confronted by a professional golfer. In the 1920s, Jones dominated the golfing world, even though he was an amateur, and the professional challenged him about when he might grab for the money like everyone else. Highly educated in a variety of fields, Jones unpacked for his adversary the fact that the word amateurcomes from the Latin amo—to love. He made his definition of an amateur clear… doing what you do (in his case, playing golf) out of love for the game, not just for money.

That idea is a little shocking to our day. In our times, an amateur is often seen as second-rate or not good enough to go pro. Certainly there may be many instances where that is the case. But I would like to give a nod to the Bobby Jones perspective. No matter what we are doing, if it is done out of love it should be elevated—not diminished. Money as a motivation will always fall short because there will never be enough of it. Motivation rooted in love, however, sinks its roots into an eternal source and supply.

This idea has particular application when it comes to living as a follower of Christ, because our motives are key. Why do I do what I do? Is it for personal advancement? Is it for personal satisfaction? Is it for wealth or possessions? Indeed, why do I do what I do?

Clearly, those things are not necessarily evil or inherently wrong in themselves. But they can certainly cloud our hearts and minds with mixed motives—and that is true regardless of the arena in which we conduct our lives. Why we do what we do matters.

In the letter of 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul is in the awkward and uncomfortable position of having to defend his ministry to people who are questioning his integrity. In 2 Corinthians 5, he is even forced to defend himself against accusations of instability. To that, he responds:

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

What great motivation! To be compelled by Christ’s love in what we do is the greatest of all motivations for, as Paul affirms, it is what causes the follower of Christ to no longer live for himself or herself, but for Christ.

His love becomes a driving force in our lives that allows us to gladly say that, in life, we are amateurs—for we are motivated by love. In fact, we are motivated by the greatest love of all, the love of Jesus Christ.