Well, it’s time for me to make my contribution to the plethora of articles and essays written about the parallels between Christianity and athletics. It’s fresh in my mind right now because I’ve just started track, and I’ve been thinking about it. Now, I have never lifted weights of any kind. Maybe twice or three times, but never with any consistency. However, for track we’re working out with weights three times a week. My first day was yesterday, and I’m just going to be honest-I thought it was going to kill me. As I type this, my shoulders, back, arms, and stomach hurt. A lot. It hurt me to shampoo my hair this morning. But it’s good for me-it will make me stronger, and better able to perform the tasks I’m supposed to for track. Are you starting to see the parallel? Paul said to run as if to get the prize. You can’t win the prize unless you’re in shape and trained. And, as much as I wish it could be, you don’t get in shape and trained by wishing. You have to work out, and run, and work out more, and run more, and eat right, and work out more, and run more-to the extent that it becomes a routine. It never gets easy, because as you adjust to one weight, or one distance, you add more weight, or more distance, because even though it feels better, and doesn’t hurt much any more, it no longer helps you. It’s the same way with our spiritual walk. It’s going to hurt if we do it right. It’s going to take time, we’re going to lose friends, and it’s going to be hard. But here’s the question-which is going to matter more in the long run? I’ve never competed in track, but I know what it’s like to win because of preparation, and I know what it’s like to lose for lack of it, and I promise you, preparation pays off. And that’s in the physical world. How much more so in the spiritual? It’s hard to think for the future, and even harder to think for the eternal, and easy to think for now, and what feels good now-that’s why so many people give up. But try to keep perspective-which matters more? Which is worth more to you? It’s never going to be easy-if it starts getting easy, you need to increase your “workout”. But won’t the reward be worth the pain, many times over? Well, there you go, my token athlete speech. Just my opinion, and you’re welcome to disagree. Let me know what you think.