The Discipline of an Athlete
by Lee Wildman
via Biblical Insights, Vol. 14 No. 8, August 2014
Paul used examples from athletics to illustrate principles by which Christians are to live. His readers, especially those in Greece and the surrounding areas, knew very well what it meant to be an athlete in the 1st century. Let's look at some of those lessons.
We must compete according to the rules (II Timothy 2:5).
It is the Lord’s race, and we must enter and run as He dictates. There are rules to be obeyed, and they have not changed since they were first given. And the rules are not hard to understand (Ephesians 3:4). But some say we should read the New Testament as a story or collection of love letters. Surely the story of God’s love is the central point of the message, but seriously, am I to read Romans and I Corinthians as love letters?! When Jesus wrote the seven churches in Asia, His love for them demanded repentance, or else there would be consequences for not keeping His rules.
We must live a disciplined life (I Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1).
Now look at a Christian who has strong Bible knowledge and can skillfully use it to teach others. He lives with reverence, integrity, patience, and love. His children respect him and are faithful to the Lord. Sounds like a shepherd in the church, doesn’t it? But how did he become such? For certain, he did not allow the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things to choke out the word from his heart (Mark 4:19). He didn’t spend his life working and playing and then say, “I could be an elder if I wanted to be.”
Discipline means learning to do the right things over and over again. Some think that doing the same things over and over leads to going through the motions. But didn’t Daniel pray three times a day? Did this “routine” suggest that he was just going through the motions? It takes more discipline to learn to do the same things with greater love and devotion than to change what we do.
Running with discipline also means doing what the Lord asks, even when we might not feel like it. We must learn to worship, study, pray, forgive, and love our enemies, even when our emotions tell us not to train today.
Every Christian runs to win (I Corinthians 9:24).
In 1980, the cross-country team at WKU won the OVC championships with all five runners crossing the finish line together. But that did not mean all of them had the same ability. A few weeks later, in the NCAA championships, they were each running the very best they personally could run. Only one of the five was qualified to be an All-American.
Some will run better than others. They have had more time to train while others are just getting started. Others run better because they have decided to do so. They are willing to train harder. But beware, for if you decide to run ahead, you may be criticized. Some will think you’re strange (I Peter 4:4), including some of your own brethren. But we must run humbly, hoping that others will follow our example. Our example in the assemblies, at home, at work, and during trials does matter. Each will be looking out for others rather than themselves, even encouraging some to get up and run again.
It’s an endurance race (Hebrews 12:1-2).
There will be days when our resolve to win will be sorely tested. There will be thorns in our flesh and some “Job-like” events in our paths. We may look around and wonder, like Peter, why some seem to have it easier than we do. What do we do then? Complain that it’s not fair? No, we will do as the Lord told him, “You follow me” (John 21:18-22).
Victory awaits all finishers (II Timothy 4:7-8).
The victory is ours in Christ. We have a victory wreath awaiting us (II Timothy 4:7-88; I Corinthians 15:54-58). We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who has run on before us, looking forward to meeting Him at the finish line. Please, don’t ever quit (Galatians 5:7).
