In the early 1960s the University of Florida football team was running wind sprints for conditioning. One of the large linemen, Jack Katz, who played tackle, had proven himself to be the fastest lineman on the team. Katz walked up to coach Ray Graves and asked if he might run sprints with the faster backs. Permission was granted.

For the next several days Katz managed to finish last in every race with the backfield runners. Nobody was surprised. The coach asked if he wouldn’t rather be a winner with the linemen than a loser in the competition with the backs.

Katz responded, ”I’m not out here to outrun the linemen. I already know I can do that. I’m here to learn how to run faster; and if you’ve noticed, I’m losing by a little less every day.”

We all should be so diligent in trying to improve ourselves.

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.”   —1 Timothy 4:15.