To the Contrary...

Today’s lesson tells about the life of golfer Byron Nelson, who in the prime of his career, left golf behind to pursue other goals. Breaking from the crowd isn’t an easy thing to do, but Mr. Nelson had other plans for his life and risked criticism and being misunderstood to pursue them.

I used to work in the investment business. A familiar goal of investing is to “buy low and sell high.” But interestingly, human nature leads most people to “buy high and sell low.” Most people would have better investment results if they did the opposite of what their “instincts” tell them to do. One particular investment approach, called “contrarian investing”, seeks to capitalize on this aspect of human nature. A contrarian investor will look at what crowd is doing, and then do the opposite. If the masses are selling a particular stock the contrarian would consider buying it, or if a particular stock was being bought, the contrarian would look at the possibility of selling it.

Christian living is similar to contrarian investing. Often the Christian life is “upside-down” when compared to what much of the world is doing. Consider, for example, the instructions of Romans 12:20: “…If your enemy is hungry feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…”. Or how about Matthew 10:38-40: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Being a Christian often requires us to do things that appear different from, or even foolish to, the rest of the world. Like Mr. Nelson, we must have the courage to pursue our convictions. Not just for our own sake, but for Christ’s sake.

Here are some scriptures to encourage you:

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 1 Cor 1:25

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Rom 12:2

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matt 10:38-40

But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matt 19:29-30