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Corinthians 9:24 Run in such
a way as to get the prize. [25] Everyone who competes in the games
goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not
last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. [26]
Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not
fight like a man beating the air. [27] No, I beat my body and make
it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will
not be disqualified for the prize.
I'll never
forget the football tryouts I had to endure in high school.
They were brutal! We would run, and run, and hit, and
tackle, and drill until many of us left our lunch on the field.
The coach wanted to see who had what it takes to be a good player.
I knew that if the coach just could notice me he might ask for my
name and if he asked for my name then he might write it down.
Everyone knew that if the coach wrote down your name you probably
made the team.
Several days
went by and names were written down in that book but never mine.
It was my senior year and the tryouts were almost over. If I
didn't make it this year I never would. I just wanted a
chance. Then as we were almost done that day the coach
called for the shedding drill. Now a shedding drill is when
one guy stands 5 yards (meters) away from the rest of the team and
they take turns trying to knock you on your back. It's a
brutal drill to teach you to push your attacker to the side and
move past. After two or three players it was my turn.
I lined up and got my feet moving and waited for the first attack.
After four or five things were going good and then the worst
happened. I shed a player hard to the left right over my leg
and he went face down but as he did his heel came up under my
helmet and slammed into my chin and since I had my tongue out the
whole time his foot drove my teeth straight through it. Not
just my front teeth either. I drove the molars through and
it was bleeding bad. But I was not about to miss my last
chance so I kept going. I staggered a minute and then waved
the next attacker on. One more came and then the coach
stopped the drill and said "let me look at that". I didn't
want him too because I knew it was bad, but I showed him the cut.
I said "I can keep going" and his reply was the best thing I could
have heard. He said "what's your name?" and when I told him
he said to the assistant coach "write his name down and then send
him to the hospital to get that checked. He's got heart."
I barely felt
the pain because I was too excited about having the coach notice
me! Yeah I made the team, but you know, it wasn't all it was
cracked up to be. I later realized that I had my focus wrong
and that football was taking my attention away from God and being
trained in His Word to be on His team for the rest of my life.
I felt God asking me to give up the sport I love to dedicate my
life to Him.
Now, because of
that was a memorable day in my life I have to ask myself questions
every now and again.
How hard do I strive
to be noticed by Jesus Christ?
How much am I willing to endure to be the best Christian I can
be?
Do I work as hard as I did for football?
Do I take a beating and keep on going because I want to be on
the front line?
Or do I often dedicate myself more to the things of this world
that have little real value when my heavenly Father wants my all
for His team?
I hope someday
I can stand before God and hear Him say "He's got heart". I
want to do my best to be the best representative of the name of
Christ that I can be. How about you?
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