If you pass by athletic fields in the early morning of a hot and humid August day, you may hear a shrill whistle, sergeant-like instructions being barked, and grunts of agony from athletes doing sprints. Welcome to the dreaded preseason conditioning drills!
Walking past a stadium early one morning last week I observed such a spectacle. My memory immediately flashed back to former days when conditioning was a possibility. Now to attempt such a feat would require a well-stocked emergency vehicle and lots of oxygen! As I watched the athletes go through their paces in the early morning mist, I seemed to be breathing faster, sweating more, craving water, and feeling my muscles cramp. Not all the memories of sport’s competition are pleasant!
Why do these athletes voluntarily sign-up
for such rigorous activities when they could join their contemporaries still lying
in bed, dreaming about their morning Starbucks cappuccino, and looking forward
to a relaxing day doing whatever they wanted? Why indeed? Very likely they are
looking beyond the rigors of conditioning and anticipating the future days of
competition in the sport they love. It is a dream of the future that propels
them to endure the rigors of the present discomfort. I remember one coach
telling a team, “You are not suffering for nothing. There is a game ahead that
demands this preparation!” I also remember that I needed more than a pep talk
on those August mornings – I needed water! The projection of the future did not
diminish my present agonies.
Much of life can be like this. Do you
remember the pep talk from your mom, “Eat the broccoli; it will give you strong
bones.” I would have loved to have been able to say to Mom, “George H. W. Bush
never liked broccoli and still became the 41st president of the
United States. It didn’t look like he had bone problems either!” Or how about
Dad’s, “The parttime job you have now will build character and will also look
good on a future resume.” Do you really think skillful scooping skills at the ice
cream shop will impress a patient that is about to have brain surgery at your
hands? Or how about when your Algebra II teacher says, “Getting these
principles down now will help you when you get into advanced math.” Seriously, did
she consider my grades in Math? How likely was I to ever crack open a
Math-related book after I finish this required course? You have the picture,
don’t you? Granted, all life experience has some value. However, sometimes the prospects
simply don’t placate the pain of present realities.
The Apostle Paul frequently used sports
analogies (at least 12 times) when he spoke about spiritual matters. One such
passage is found in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Here he speaks about future success that
requires present investments. He states that an athlete competes to win a
prize. He also indicates that such a desire requires preparation now for future
accomplishments. There are at least five requirements he mentions. The person
must be motivated – “run all.” So much in life can be lost because we do not
follow-through on our initial desire and quit. He also highlights that a person
must be engaged – “run in such a way that you may obtain it.” Effort in life
propels a person past dreams and into reality. Recently many Olympic athletes
have talked about the sacrifices they have made not just to be in the games but
to win. They wanted to do more than participate. They were there for the gold.
Paul adds that a key requirement in
successful competition is to do so unhindered – “he is temperate (self-controlled)
in all things.” This carries the idea of a willingness to put off anything that
could hurt the chance of success – even if that thing is a strong desire. How
many wrestlers forego the Thanksgiving gorge-fest so they can make weight as
the season starts in a few days? Another requirement is to be focused – “run
not with uncertainty… beating the air.” During a season an athlete can easily
get sidetracked from their goal if they are not careful. How many athletes
allow trash talk from an opponent to get into their heads and become an
annoying distraction? Paul lastly talks about being disciplined – “I discipline
my body and bring it into subjection.” This carries the ideas of enduring
hardships and
annoyances even in our physical life so that one does not become disqualified
in the athletic competition they seek to win. How tragic it is to hear of a Olympic
competitor who is forced to drop out of their sport due to a failure to adhere
to the rules.
It is true that life is bigger than
athletic accomplishments. But there are some lessons we can learn from the
athletic competition that can caution us in our daily lives. So how is your
preparation for the race of your life? You may want to consider the advice the Apostle
Paul shares.
