“Run in such a way as to get the prize” – 1 Corinthians 9:24
Michelle
Akers is the most decorated woman in soccer history. A world
champion and Olympic gold-medallist, Michelle led Team USA to
victory in the third Women’s World Cup. Though she was the
oldest member of Team USA, her teammates called her Mufasa,
after the gallant feline in The Lion King, for her long
curly hair and her unsurpassed competitive strength. Though a
devout Christian, she plays with a vengeance, she is the only
U.S. player to get a yellow card (twice) in the ’99 World Cup
tournament. “It’s not like I go out there and think I’m the
Terminator,” she says, “I play hard, and people just bounce off
me or I go through them. I don’t notice it until after I get hit
in the face.”
Is a
Christian to be competitive? The issue is bigger than team
sports. It is difficult to live in this world without “doing
battle” for something, with someone, at least some of the time.
Competitive sports can be used to teach teamwork,
self-discipline, and good sportsmanship. But is the competitive
spirit good from a Christian point of view?
Paul used
athletic competition to illustrate Christian living (1
Corinthians 9:24-27). He says that a follower of Christ is to
run the race to win while playing by the rules. The Bible
indicates that whether competition is healthy or dangerous
depends not only on how we play the game but also on why we play
or compete
Three
times the devil tried to get Jesus’ eyes off the prize and to
get Him to trade our lives for a taste of worldly power and
glory (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus saw the challenge as a three-fold
test of His Father’s provision, protection, and position in His
life. When tempted to use undue force, break the rules, or cut
corners to satisfy shortsighted goals, Jesus remained faithful.
Jesus
showed that maintaining dependence on God the Father is more
important than a short-lived show of dominance.
- How
can you train yourself in disciple?
- Do
you have a daily spiritual training program?
- If
not, why not?
“Lord, keep my faith
and focus on You and Your training plan for my life. In Your
name, Amen.”
