T R O P H I E S

I John 2:17

What’s the most enduring part of this game?  Is it the awards won, the championship titles, the trophies or medals?  Probably not.  How about the friendships, the memories and the tests of character that come with competition?  Lots of stuff about the game passes away quickly. 

The Apostle John wrote about the passing nature of the world in his first letter at chapter 2 and verse 17, it says, “And the world is passing away, and the lust with I; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

Even championship rings and trophies tarnish and lose their luster over time.  As John says, the world is passing away.  He also says that the lust, or strong desire for those things, passes away with it.  That’s true also.  Even the desires for those things eventually wane.

Like the person who does the will of God, the more noble and wise parts of the game pay dividends in our lives for decades and even beyond the grave.  The tests of character and the committed friendships that we develop in the course of athletic struggle shape our whole lives.

Give this day’s competition every ounce of your heart.  Commit yourself fully to your teammates and coaching staff, that’s the will of God for you today.  In doing so, you’ll make an enduring mark in your soul and an abiding investment in each teammate.

Bible Reading Plan:
Job 5
Ezekiel 20-21