One on One

One of my favorite events of the year for our church is our annual golf scramble. Even though the weather rarely cooperates the way we'd hope - it is always fun to meet new friends and see connections made by those that normally wouldn't interact otherwise. I know it's not a Bible study or anything - but it still gets members of the Body of Christ building relationships together.

I had a chance to play golf today in a different 'scramble' than I was expecting when I arrived at the golf course. I ended up playing in a 2-man scramble with a guy that - let's just say - wasn't the best golfer… Of course - he wasn't playing with the best golfer, either - so maybe it was a good match. We didn't have the luxury of 2 other golfers that could help bring our score up like every other team did, but we did have something that no other group did have - time to visit with one person for 5 hours.

Sometimes you don't get to know what someone is truly like until you are with them long enough to know that they're a real person underneath whatever exterior they present in the masses. When we're in a group setting - we often put on our 'public persona' so that people view us however we hope they view us: funny, smart, talented, sexy… (What? Pastors can't use that word?!) Okay… Cute.. (Is that better?) We all want to be somebody that people like or admire. We all just go about it different ways when we have an audience.

But when we only have a small audience - an audience of one, for instance - you can't use our normal tricks to impress them or feed off of other people's energy or responses. It's just you… And them… And you can learn a lot about people during those times.

I think that's what makes marriage so interesting. I have spent SO MANY hours with my wife that she knows exactly who I am. Not who I try to be or who I hope others perceive me as - but me. She has seen me as a pastor, a dad, a son, a brother, a friend, a teacher - but it's the role of husband that gives her the best insight of what (or WHO) I am at my core. Scary, yes. But it's also a relief. No pretenses. I don't have to act like anything else. She just knows me.

How much more does my Heavenly Father know me. Like He told Jeremiah - He knew me before I was ever even in my mother's womb. (Jeremiah 1:4) He knows who I am at my core. He knows my motives. He knows what I'm thinking when I'm smiling and nodding. But here's the kicker - I can know Him if I spend time with Him, too. Just me and Him - one on One. Being in a group is good - but being just alone is even better to get to know Him.