One of the big money incentives in professional golf today is the accumulation of points from several tournaments that help you qualify for the FedEx Cup which pays about $10 million. You don’t win the money in one tournament, but over the course of several tournaments.
Jim Furyk is an exceptional professional golfer. He was doing well in accumulating points and was in 3rd place in August, but he made a terrible mistake.
The pros are expected to play in the Pro-Am events at major tournaments. If you are late for the Pro-Am tee-off, you are disqualified from the Pro-Am event and from the tournament. Jim Furyk overslept and was five minutes late for his tee time at the Barclays. He was disqualified for both events. The PGA Tour says he could drop from 3rd place to as low as 19th place.
We don’t know how he would have done in the tournament, or how he will fare in the upcoming tournaments. Some people have figured that it would cost him about $5 million for being five minutes late!
Two football players for the University of Kentucky were a few minutes late to a team meeting last week. Because of this free safety Winston Guy and defensive end DeQuin Evans were taken out of the starting lineup for the Kentucky Wildcats. Evans was a captain, and was not allowed to represent the team for the coin toss before the game.
Time is the most precious commodity that we have. Running late infringes on the time of people who are expecting you. .
My dad told me that he began his ministry “running late.” My mother helped him understand the importance of time. He changed. He became a punctual person.
He helped me understand the importance of being on time. I remember one time I was running a little late. We were going to a sporting event that I really wanted to see. When I was late, my dad and the others just left at the appointed time. It was an important lesson to me that I’ll never forget.
I always wondered if the reason the lay people at Frazer loved our Television and Radio Ministry so much was because it meant I had to start on time and end on time! Television and Radio do not recognize excuses about “running late.” Neither does Delta!
Occasionally an excuse for running late may be legitimate, such as an auto accident on the Interstate. I’d rather be referred to as “John Ed Mathison a little late” than “the late John Ed Mathison!”
God’s timing is always perfect. God is never late. God never forgets about anything. He is an on time God.
I doubt that Jim Furyk will ever be a minute late to another Pro-Am event. I expect that Winston Guy and DeQuin Evans will be the first people present at the next team meeting.
The most important place to be on time is when God has given us an opportunity. He places people in our paths. Being tardy to meeting opportunities that God gives could carry far greater consequences than missing a golf tournament or a football game.
It is time for me to post this blog. I don’t want to be late! I also want to learn from it and practice what I learn.
