Paul the apostle must have been a big sports fan. He liked to use examples from athletics to show how we should live for God. In 1 Corinthians 9:25, he writes, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Many Christians feel that by praying and studying the Bible, they have completed the “strict training” that the Bible says we must go through. Prayer and Bible study are essential, but we have not really flexed our spiritual muscles until we have served others.

Can an Olympic athlete succeed by simply reading the training manual and thinking about the competition? Of course not! He or she must go through the process of training the body. With the proper training techniques, the body becomes stronger and the athlete is better prepared for competition. In the same way, as we serve, we strengthen our spiritual muscles and become better prepared to live for Jesus.

It might be time to put down the training manual and get some exercise! Let’s serve somebody today!