Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Turning to the Isthmian Games as an example for the Corinthians, Paul reminds them athletes will go to the nth degree to win the prize, so why not us Christians? It is quite likely that the Isthmian Games were on at the time of Paul’s writing or soon coming or perhaps just past. But either way, Paul was appealing to a current events illustration. He has already said I will do anything to win the lost. Now he appeals to the commitment a sportsman shows for a goal that is temporary. Come on, it is farcical isn’t it? You read the list of the garlands in yesterday’s Gem. Did you wonder why that would motivate anyone? A garland of parsley! Or olive leaves or pine or a laurel of whatever other green leaves you can think of? Why would anyone want to stick to a strict diet, denying oneself wine and pleasant food, enduring cold, heat, and heavy bodily discipline for a bunch of leaves? Hours of endless practice, self denial and lots of other self-restrictive disciplines for something so trite? [Well I guess the waiver on taxes and the cash contribution help make the package look better – but a garland of leaves – come on!]
The words “So run, that ye may obtain” were the very words used by the instructors in the gymnasia and the spectators on the race course to exhort their pupils or friends or idols to stimulate them to put it all on the line. Every candidate had to take an oath that he had been ten months in training, and that he would violate none of the regulations.
If the athletes give it all for such a vain glory how much more should we Christians do all and lay it all on the line for an eternal prize that will not fade or lose its value – ever. And furthermore in the case of the Isthmian Games there was only one winner. In Christ all can be winners and there need be no losers. The incorruptible crown that Paul refers to is not the wreath or garland, nor even the crown of a King or “diadem” . Not something they wilt for fade but the crown in store for us is something that will endure. Our crown will never lose its beauty or its value. We can see how eagerly the athletes sought a perishable prize; how much self-denial those who entered the contest practiced to obtain the garland of leaves; how long they would deny themselves of the common pleasures of life that they might be successful. If pagans showed such self discipline for such a worthless garland how much more us who are focused on something of far greater worth.
Notice Paul focused on running, boxing and one other sport that is buried a little deeper. We will continue with those in subsequent days.
Real courage is when you know you’re beaten before you begin, but you begin anyway.
Harper Lee
Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of ENTHUSIASM.
Konghee