the win matters

the win matters

Have you ever wandered into a store that’s dedicated to a sport you’re not familiar with?  You walk dumbfounded from one aisle to the next.  The array of merchandise available overwhelms you.  Can there really be this much to this sport?

Take a bike shop, for instance.  Everything a rider wears (helmet, clothing, gloves, socks, shoes) is designed to minimize weight and reduce wind drag.  The bikes themselves are built out of space-age materials for strength and weight-savings.  You can lift an entire bike with two fingers.  And in the quest to slip through the air, nothing is overlooked–even the spokes are aerodynamically tuned!

Of course, the prices they charge for this stuff leave you speechless.  And about then you’re thinking,  “This is absurd!  Why do people spend this much effort and money just to save a few ounces?”

It’s all about getting an edge on the competition, isn’t it.  The win matters.

The Apostle Paul himself had a must-win mentality:  Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things…  I run in such a way, as not without aim… I box in such a way, as not beating the air…  I discipline my body and make it my slave…

How different things would be if we all had this “take no prisoners” attitude when it came to following Jesus and advancing His Kingdom.  What if we scrutinized everything?  What if we got rid of every little thing that slowed us down?  What if we shed every unnecessary weight?  What if we spent absurd amounts of money to gain the slightest edge…?

Well, we’d be headed to the winner’s podium for an imperishable wreath, that’s what!  And what a difference we’d make in this world!

Let’s go for the win!

Paul

* 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

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