Dress 70s, Talk 80s, Shoot 90s

My brother, who is a Golf Professional, made the comment years ago about my golf score, that I “dress 70s, talk 80s, shoot 90s.” It is about as accurate a statement of my golf game as there ever was. I will note, having him as my brother has helped me dress the part. Being candid, I am a decent golfer that despite lack of playing regularly, will break 100.

As I reflect on that statement, I realize it exceeds beyond just the golf course. Not just for me but for many of us. How many times do we present ourselves at one level and talk about where, or who, we think we are, then in reality we may come close, but do not quite match the talk or look. It is not that we are overtly attempting to be deceitful and mis-stating facts, we are creating a persona that isn’t quite accurate and it is still a transgression.

My faith matches this adage, and I think it may be the same for many of us. We want to look the part to portray an image, plus talk the talk, but we come up short of the true benchmark. Despite how we dress and talk, God knows our outcomes. We are all sinners and although we may be doing the equivalent of breaking 100 in life, we are still 20+ strokes above par.

Some refer to it as “looking the part” or “talking a good game.” We have an appearance or style of dress appropriate to a particular role or situation and/or we say things that lead others to believe we can do something even though we can’t. Social media fuels these exaggerated perceptions where online profile facades do not match offline realities.

It is hype and embellishment versus reality. Our talk and dress feed the hype. We add details or exaggerating facts to make our story more interesting or exciting. People will eventually see through hype and pieces that are imagined or invented. The truth will become evident over time. Facts never lie. My golf score at the end of the day will be 96 and not 82.

I can’t help but think of Politicians who, very often, look and say one thing, while reality is different. An extreme case of this, which I believe was deceitful, is the former U.S. representative for New York’s 3rd congressional district, George Santos, an entirely fictional and embellished persona if there ever was one.

While writing this I came across the comparison of two presidents, Teddy Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge. President Roosevelt was a genuine cowboy. He was a Rough Rider that charged up San Juan Hill and a rancher in the Dakotas. He embodied the cowboy way of life during a period where the nation was wild and untamed. Thirty years later, Calvin Coolidge was President during a time when the country yearned for a return to the nostalgic revival of cowboys and legends of former times. Regardless of how he dressed, talked, or acted, President Coolidge was no cowboy.

Dressing our best for Sunday Services and singing the hymns are fine and well-meaning in our faithful practices. However, not letting our neighbor back out of their spot in the parking lot, is not walking our walk.

St. Francis of Assisi is credited with the quote, “There is no use in walking anywhere to preach if your walking isn’t your preaching.” He noted that looks and words are pointless if we don’t have the testimony of our lives to stand behind it. He also said, “While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.”

By and large, St. Paul’s letters (especially Ephesians, Thessalonians, Timothy) encourage all to walk the talk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called. God has equipped us to shoot par on His course. He gave us the Holy Spirit, who pours God’s love into our hearts, full and overflowing. He calls us to holiness and being holy means being set apart by God. Setting us apart is giving us the means to dress, talk, and shoot 70s.

We want to be seen as someone who will deliver, not boast. Golf is not a game of perfect. Neither is our walk. We need to accept that fact and work to close this gap while focusing on action – not looks or words.

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