My daughter asked me if this was movie week. Well, it didn’t start out that way, but while doing the Titanic puzzle, I watched plenty of movies. The topic of today’s post is this movie.
HAVE YOU EVER MET SOMEONE WHOSE SWING WAS MESSED UP?
Now…I am not talking about their golf swing or their baseball swing or their tree swing. Bagger Vance is filled with quotes that flow off the screen onto the page. It isn’t too far of a stretch to say that many of them can be made “spiritual.” That sounds sort of strange doesn’t it? But let me give you some of the quotes from the movie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146984/quotes?qt=qt0208956
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146984/quotes?qt=qt0208970
Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that’s ours and ours alone. Something that can’t be learned… something that’s got to be remembered…Over time the world can rob us of that swing…it get buried inside us with all the wouldas and couldas and shouldas…Some folks even forget what their swing was like. Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146984/quotes?qt=qt0208984
First, I realize that some of this pure poppycock. It is “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality. It is the old Robert Schuller/Joel Osteen junk that I have blogged against. But on another level those statements can be seen as true. Many Christ-followers lose their way (swing) by the cares of this life pressing in. Luke 9:23-25. Luke 8:4-8. We take our eyes off Jesus and focus on the here-and-now, the transient things, instead of what really matters. We get so tied up in our every day life that we find ourselves looking back at the wouldas and couldas and shouldas. And just like Rannulph Junah, we need to get back to Square One.
SQUARE…ONE…IS…JESUS
He is the ONE we must go to to find our swing. He is the ONE who reminds us we are not an accident. I think this post here does an excellent job of showing that. If we hope to find our swing again, we need to go back to the Source of the swing.
Have you lost your swing? If so, have you taken the time to figure out where/when it happened? Do you need to do that? Have you ever seen The Legend of Bagger Vance? Any thoughts?
Disclaimer: there is some not-so-nice language used.
Tomorrow will be a different post: it will include a give-away. See you there! 🙂
I lost my swing the instant 2 became 1. I have never been the same since. Given how I am wired, it messed with me so deeply that I can’t get back to right. I can’t find my smile. Yet, I can’t help but wondering (now that you bring it up), maybe my fortunes would have turned out differently if my first name was Bagger.
I am sorry to hear that Daniel. I know that some have trouble, and some never recover, from the fallout of that scenario. Praying God will help you find your swing again. Thanks for being open.
As a golfer I have in the past had my swing change and not for the better. When is has happened I have had to work hard and ask a lot of questions to get it corrected. I have not always figured out when it started but I have managed with the help of others to get my swing back. Many times though I have come to realize that my swing changed with an injury or a pain.
I would say the same has been true of my spiritual swing. When it has gone away I have had to ask a lot of questions – get help from God and friends to get it back. Many times it was the result of painful choices that I made along the way.
I like movie week! 🙂
I played at golf Jim. I had too much of a baseball swing to be any good, so with a back injury I decided to give it up. I sure could have used help with my swing. Love you take spiritually as well. Glad you like movie week. 🙂 Thanks for the comment.
I have never seen that movie in it’s entirety. I have seen parts of it but not the whole thing. I have felt like I’ve lost my swing in the past. Right now I’m hitting my stride. Praise God!
Next Level Church is going to be one that makes a difference Rob. I would say you are hitting your stride. Can’t wait to hear how your first goes (this week folks). Thanks for the comment.
I have not seen Bagger Vance in a number of years, but I remember enjoying it.
That one true and pure swing cannot result from my efforts alone… it requires God’s effort through me. Only with Him can we fulfill the totality of the purpose for which He created us.
As you said, “He is the ONE we must go to to find our swing.”
I say amen!
P.S. Thank you for the mention and for being a continuous source of encouragement to your community.
Not from our efforts: that is why I said some of it is pure poppycock. Only in HIM. Thanks for being a part of this community Dusty.
I feel a sudden urgent need to go buy some poppycock… That stuff is addictive.
Me too Dusty. having worn braces for almost 2 1/2 years changes eating habits. 🙂
The times that I have lost my swing were lsot times for sure. But I’ve come to learn that finding our stroke again involves the recalibration of our hearts with His. His Word and words can correct flawed swings and keep us on the Fairway and out of those nasty bunkers (self-doubt, fear, etc).
Luke 8:15 “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”
Well put Jay. Those bunkers are nasty to get into and out of. Thanks.
You know – I’ve never seen Bagger Vance. I guess I’ll have to check it out!
I think being motivated by Christ’s grace and empowered by his grace are two of the most essential things for us to grasp as Christians. I’m still working on wrapping my head and heart around it all. I think that’s the pursuit of a lifetime.
I think you would like it Loren. Some good stuff about leadership and stewardship and finding your heart and even just about having fun. I am probably close to 20+ years older than you and I still am trying to wrap my mind around grace. Thanks for coming by.
There have been moments in my journey, where I have definitely lost my swing. When I take my eyes of Christ, then things just become unsettling. He really is the only one that can sustain us.
Taking eyes off Christ is like trying to hit the ball with your eyes closed. Keep focusing on Him Jon. Thanks for coming by.
Great analogies and I have found this to be true…finding our true swing. I feel like I am getting closer than I ever have….just need to spend time in the cage grooving it in…gotta swing to even find it…for years tried to have others tell me what the swing was to be like…didn’t want to look foolish…now that was foolish.
Great point Tom. Nothing wrong with taking advice. Keep swinging. Thanks.
Hi Bill,
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 8:8b
We can have all the counsel and wisdom of God spoken to us and if we ‘won’t hear’ it doesn’t amount to much in our lives.
The Bible says that hearing comes by the Word of God. ‘… faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.’ Rom 10:17
I think that if we as believers want more faith and grace from God we have to be reading the Bible. Start a reading schedule.
There is no doubt that prayer is serving God. Praise and the lifting of our hearts and hands is serving God. We believers also benefit alot from these if we ‘get our swing going right’.
Romans chapter 11:7 ‘… what Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened…’
Romans 11:5 ‘So too, at the present time there is a remnant…’
I think we are going to have to get past some of our prior church teachings… and receive the word of God. Receive the Spirit of God. I believe that we are in difficult times in trying to sort out the Word of God from false teachings right in our own churches. I think many churches say “well, that’s just what we believe, if your going to be Baptist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Charismatic,..etc this is what you believe”
Thinking like this will get us killed.
Looking to Jesus through prayer and His Word are important parts of finding our swing. Thanks Linda.
Bill, I love Bagger Vance and own it. Now, I have to watch it. Not right now, of course, since I’m at lunch at work, but you know what I mean. I lost my way for several years. It seems that getting into a new church is helping me get it back.
I love that you are finding your swing again Larry. The new church is sparking a fire in you. (And now, go watch the movie, but only if you are at home).
I’ve seen that movie a couple times. My favorite line in the movie is when the little kid tells Bagger, “No one saw it, they’ll never know”! (speaking to when the ball moved while he was clearing the debris from around the ball). Bagger answered, “I’ll know”…
That is the integrity that should make up ever person. The moral compass placed within from God.
I’ve lost my swing more than once and I always seem to lose it in the same place; me pursuing the things of this world that always come to enslave us.
Jesus came to set us free and satan works against our spirit with the weakness of our flesh, specifically our senses…
Nothing better than reconnecting with Jesus, our Swing. Good one.
That is one of the most powerful moments in the movie Floyd. I think also a watershed moment for Rannulph. I tend to lose my swing about the same way you do…looking elsewhere. Thanks for adding your quote from the movie.
Excellent post Bill. Still working on my swing, but it’s improving daily, just have to keep my eyes & heart in His word.
P.S. I am praying for you Daniel.
Whole key: improving daily. Thanks Jan for the comment and especially for praying for Daniel.
Square one is Jesus! Never get tired of hearing it because the truth never gets old. He is the fountain of joy, peace, life, and salvation that we get to drink from every single day. Anything we lose will be found and restored in Him. May not look the same, but it’ll bring us a lot more joy. Thanks Bill.
Never tire of hearing it. If we are going to find our swing, He is going to have to be our main focus. Thanks Jason.
Hi Jason,
I love this visual you provide in your comment here of drinking from the fountain of God every single day. Are we discouraged? Drink from the fountain. Read the Bible, pray to God, ask God to encourage us.
Are we sick? Drink from the fountain. Read the Bible, pray to God, ask God to give us what we need to do his will in spite of our sickness, lay hands on ourselves and pray for our wellness, etc.
Are we stressed out? Call out to God and ask for his help. Ask for the ability to keep going, ask for rest, ask for peace from God. Declare God’s word over ourselves, and thank God for his promises.
Drinking requires some action. We have to bend to the fountain and put the refreshing life giving water to our lips.
We must have faith to drink from this fountain. If we are without faith we need to ask God for faith. The Bible says if we call on Him he will hear and answer.
Yeah! Thanks Linda for expanding that thought. That blessed me!
I just feel a secularist needs to comment on the swing thing.
To Daniel I would say that cutting the sheets, for whatever reason, doesn’t have to be a life ending event. Move on.
I just don’t, as a secularist, think that only Jesus will give you your swing. That would mean that all Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Amaericans,etc can have no swing. And of course they do.
I firmly believe that if a person follows the prescripts that Jesus did give us you will well be on the right path.
Good luck Daniel.
I have wondered how to respond to this Jeff. First, with Daniel. He hinted at “his makeup.” I know what it is so if comment is made he will have to make it. I know why he has such difficulty. Second, I come from a Christian worldview so my thought process will be along that way. I do believe that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” so I am going to say that He is the Center. Thanks for taking the time to write.
I think the difference in perspective is where you find your swing. If it’s something you muster up, then it’s definitely the pull yourself up by the bootstraps garbage.
But if you find your swing in Jesus, that makes all the difference. I know way too many people who lost their swing and then either gave up or tried to find it in themselves.
You make my point well Tony. Too many have tried to find their swing by themselves or have given up. Good to hear from you.
I saw this movie when it came out years ago. I think I have it on DVD somewhere. Nice connections though. My life was out I swing whenever we moved last summer after my wife had a couple of miscarriages and my grandmother passed. What got my swing back was that I have a father in heaven that no matter what is going on he is right there with me as I am going through it.
I didn’t see it when it came out since it is not my wife’s cup of tea. It was only later that I did and she still doesn’t want to see it. 😀 Sorry to hear about the miscarriages and your gmother passing but so glad to hear that you found the Father knows and cares. Thanks Adam.