While the World Athletics Championships are going on, I am reminded again of the astonishing commitment of top athletes and sports people to doing their best.
Usain Bolt may have started too early, and been disqualified, and others may have missed out on winning, but so much effort and training has gone into all those successes and even failures. To make the most of their varied talents, all need a single-minded approach.
It is not surprising, therefore, that St. Paul takes the single-minded approach of the athletes of his day as a parable of the Christian life.
'Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadow-boxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.' (1 Corinthians 9.24-27)
Paul's single-mindedness, to discipline his body, so that his spiritual life might flourish, reminds me that we have to watch every aspect of our lives. Slackness and greed in one area of life will spill over with destructive results into the rest of our lives. That is why we need the single-minded approach of the serious athlete!
Anyone up for this?
Best wishes,
Richard
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