IT'S HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME
An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Tim. 2:5, R.S.V.
If I had been writing today's verse, I would have written what seems so obvious: "An athlete is not crowned unless he wins. He who gets to the finish line ahead of the others wins the prize. It doesn't matter who gets hurt or snubbed along the way. Winning is itself the goal."
In Paul's mind, playing the game by the rules is more important than simply winning the game. For it is the day-to-day, practical matters of life that must be brought within the boundaries of God's will. This is what will, in the end, prepare one to wear the crown.
As with the athlete, the Christian never forgets the finish line. But it is a crude athlete who regards his personal victory as more important than the humanity of his fellow-runners. Were he to shove or trip other runners to gain an advantage over them, he would be disqualified.
"Winning," in our usual context of rivalry and competition, implies that someone else must lose. It is an ego-oriented activity in which the self-worth of many is crushed so that a few can supposedly think better of themselves. As such, it damages the very fabric of human respect that is so vital to the healing of persons.
Our Father does not use enticements of selfish rewards to get us to live the Christian life, for living "according to rules" is itself the reward. We do not embrace those inner qualities of tenderness, compassion, and sensitivity in order to win a crown. They are themselves the crown, the Christ-life within. And heaven is but the marvelous opportunity to enjoy this whole-life forever.
An old bromide says, "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." In the unstudied moments of life we reveal who we really are. We "play the game" of life by the game game rules--the values and attitudes of the soul--that we have internalized through our fellowship with our Lord. If it is natural for us, in the race-pace of our daily course, to have our hearts tuned to the unspoken hurts of those running with us (and especially those lagging behind us), then we shall receive crowns with our names on them at the finish line.
An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Tim. 2:5, R.S.V.
If I had been writing today's verse, I would have written what seems so obvious: "An athlete is not crowned unless he wins. He who gets to the finish line ahead of the others wins the prize. It doesn't matter who gets hurt or snubbed along the way. Winning is itself the goal."
In Paul's mind, playing the game by the rules is more important than simply winning the game. For it is the day-to-day, practical matters of life that must be brought within the boundaries of God's will. This is what will, in the end, prepare one to wear the crown.
As with the athlete, the Christian never forgets the finish line. But it is a crude athlete who regards his personal victory as more important than the humanity of his fellow-runners. Were he to shove or trip other runners to gain an advantage over them, he would be disqualified.
"Winning," in our usual context of rivalry and competition, implies that someone else must lose. It is an ego-oriented activity in which the self-worth of many is crushed so that a few can supposedly think better of themselves. As such, it damages the very fabric of human respect that is so vital to the healing of persons.
Our Father does not use enticements of selfish rewards to get us to live the Christian life, for living "according to rules" is itself the reward. We do not embrace those inner qualities of tenderness, compassion, and sensitivity in order to win a crown. They are themselves the crown, the Christ-life within. And heaven is but the marvelous opportunity to enjoy this whole-life forever.
An old bromide says, "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." In the unstudied moments of life we reveal who we really are. We "play the game" of life by the game game rules--the values and attitudes of the soul--that we have internalized through our fellowship with our Lord. If it is natural for us, in the race-pace of our daily course, to have our hearts tuned to the unspoken hurts of those running with us (and especially those lagging behind us), then we shall receive crowns with our names on them at the finish line.
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