Many of you know I like the game of golf. This past weekend was enjoyable for me because one of golf’s major championships was being played in my own state: the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, WI.
I realize many of you probably find golf to be a complete snore. That’s OK. For most of my life I would have agreed with you. So if I mention the name ‘Rory McIlroy,’ that likely means nothing to you. McIlroy is in his mid-20’s and is one of professional golf’s young phenoms.
Since picking up the game six years ago, I’ve developed a fascination with good golfers because, frankly, I stink. Watching a young star like McIlroy is mesmerizing. So when a TV commercial for Omega Watches featuring McIlroy came on, I viewed with interest.
There’s a lot to like about this commercial for a golfer like me. Watching him hit a golf ball that likely went over 300 yards is sweet! The videography, which is so excellently done, adds to the drama. And the song used? It’s a sweet sounding tune, that’s for sure! I watched and listened over and over again, but then I read the lyrics to the song:
Yeah, you can be the greatest
You can be the best
You can be the King Kong banging on your chest
You can beat the world
You can beat the war
You can talk to God, go banging on his door
You can go the distance
You can run the mile
You can walk straight through hell with a smile
Standing in the hall of fame (yeah)
And the world’s gonna know your name (yeah)
‘Cause you burn with the brightest flame (yeah)
And the world’s gonna know your name (yeah)
And you’ll be on the walls of the hall of fame
Hmmm…this reminds me of what occurred in the Garden of Eden. Eve looked at the forbidden fruit and saw it was “pleasing to the eye” (Gen. 3:6).
Sometimes we can be so overwhelmed by the beauty a message is wrapped in we never stop to think about the message itself. We find the package so desirable, we never stop to ask if what’s inside it is good for us. The flash catches our attention, we’re drawn in, and automatically think to ourselves, “this is great!”
That’s what I did! But then I realized, “I just celebrated a message that diminishes God and makes arrogant boasts about another human being!” How did that happen? Just because something is pleasing to the eyes and ears doesn’t mean we should celebrate it. Beware: the deceiving power of beauty.
