Going for the Gold

What is your favorite Olympic sport? Skiing, sledding, or skating? One of my favorite winter sports is curling. I do not know much about the sport, but it makes me laugh when they release the stones and start yelling commands at each other. Especially when it is a team that does not speak English. I will try to mimic what they are saying in the tone they are saying it and in the volume they are saying it. No matter which sport is your favorite, you have to admire the time, effort, and dedication these athletes put into their craft.

Paul may have had some early games in mind when he wrote 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. He talked about how those who compete in the games do so to get a perishable wreath. That is a lot of self-control to get a perishable wreath. You might think our athletes are getting more, like a gold medal, fame, and endorsement deals. But in your grave, what is the value of a perishable wreath over a gold medal? In the grave, their value is the same. As Christians, we have something better that lasts beyond the grave. That is our relationship with Jesus. As a child of God, I have an inheritance of a home with the Father forever. Wreaths, gold, fame, and fortune fade away, but heaven does not (1 Peter 1:3-5).

Let’s turn back to how these athletes get the gold. Self-control. If these athletes are willing to  practice self-control in what they eat and how they train to win a perishable wreath, how should we be living in light of the promises of God? Paul talks about disciplining his body and making it his slave so he will not be disqualified. I do not want to be disqualified from an eternal inheritance so that means I need to practice self-control. Like the athletes in the games, I need to be willing to say “no” to some things I might think I want and “yes” to some I might not think I want. Are you going for the gold or for God?