We Can Be Amazing

It's incredible what we are capable of.

I'm reminded of this as I watch the Olympics. What these remarkable individuals accomplish is mind-blowing. From gymnastics to swimming, cycling to basketball, soccer to table tennis, our physical capabilities are gifts from God. The potential of the human body is incredible.

But it's only potential.

No one gets to the Olympics on talent alone. No one competes at the highest levels, reaches the apex of their competition without endless hours of training. Are they all gifted? Yes, certainly. These athletes are blessed with innate abilities. However, left dormant, those abilities would remain only potential for greatness. Without hard work, dedication, and the willingness to try, none of them would be in Rio today.

Success rides the back of hard work.

That's true for life in general, but certainly evident in athletics. You might be a good swimmer messing around in the city pool, but you'll never be great without dedicated training.  You might win the community 5K with a lackadaisical running program, but you'll never see the starting line of an Olympic 5000 meter race. Halfway won't get you there. You have to be all in.

Success in anything doesn't come easy. Not the highest levels of success. Not the pinnacle of accomplishment. Whatever you do, you can't be the best unless you work at it. Whether it be business, family, marriage, parenting, teaching, preaching, or running a race, you can't reach your highest potential without hard work.

We, as Christians, need to keep that in mind.

Let's pretend we are training for an Olympic competition.

Let's say our event is Running With Christ. Are you ready? Now keep in mind, when you cross the finish line you will receive not just a gold, silver, or bronze medal, but rather the crown of life (Revelation 2:10; I Corinthians 9:24, 25), and the one giving it to you will not be some wrinkled old man or even some beautiful young lady, but Christ Himself.

That's a prize worth working for.

How hard would you train for such a prize? How far would you push yourself? Would you quit when you got winded? Would you give up if you fell behind? Would you not do your very best to finish the race? Of course you would. So would I.

Start running.

I ask again, are you ready? I sure hope so, because you're in the race. Oh, you didn't know that? You didn't hear the starter's gun? Were you distracted? Were you messing with your shoelaces? Were you too busy eye-balling the competition? So sorry. The race has started. You better start running.

Here's the thing--this race isn't a sprint. It's not even a marathon. It's a life-long event. In fact, think of it as a career where each race counts towards a final tally. Like Phelp's medal count. And don't think it's going to get easier as you go. I hear Olympic veterans (you know, those old competitors over 30!) say in interviews again and again how they have to train just as hard or harder as they age. No matter where you are in your career, the harder you train, the more you work at it, the more likely you are to reach the prize.

If you don't think God rewards us for what we do, then why, in Revelation 22:12, does Christ say, Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.? Why does He tell us to store up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:20)? Why is there mention of crowns, rewards, treasure, prizes throughout the Bible? Is God teasing us with something that doesn't exist?

Of course not.

Train. Run. Train some more.

I Timothy 4:7, 8 says, in part, Train yourselves to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things.

We can be amazing. What our bodies can accomplish through physical training is truly remarkable. Our bodies, however, are temporary. The physical gains we make will be lost. Whatever feats we accomplish here will be quickly outdone, beaten, and forgotten.

What we accomplish for God, however, will last forever. That crown, that prize, that reward will never fade, never dim, never lose value. Just think if we trained as hard to be godly as those athletes in the Olympics train for their sports. Imagine if we spent that many hours studying God's Word, praying, listening, working, serving. What could we do?

Want to find out?

Start training. Start running.

You, too, can be amazing.