Play to win.

²⁴Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

²⁵Everyone 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. ²⁶Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. ²⁷No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Over six weeks of vacation, I quite literally became a sloth. So yesterday, having decided it's been far too long since my last bout of any sort of physical activity, I went for a jog. Since I've been reading 1 Corinthians over the past little while, this bit from Ch 9 popped into my head while I was plodding along in the warm glow of the evening sun.

When I used to read this passage, I always skipped over it because this metaphor that Paul employs wasn't something I could really understand. In grade school, just trying something out and giving it a shot was good enough. After all, I got ribbons just for participating anyway - what was the big deal about trying so hard to win? Especially in something like running. I've run my share of races - track as well as cross-country - and there is no way in life that I could win against the 6-foot gigantors out there.

Over time, after picking up team sports, I tasted victory - and it is sweet. Winning is still not the most important thing, but you definitely don't play to lose. And in order not to lose, you train. That means dragging your butt to softball practice after a long day of work even though you don't feel like it. It means hauling yourself half-asleep out of bed at 6am on a Saturday for hockey practice when you could be sleeping on your day off. It means endless repetitive drills - shots, crossovers, passes, throws, batting practice - to train your body so that you can do it right when it matters.

Why should anything else in life be any different? Every minute, every breath - we are living in the game. Why aim merely to get a passing grade, instead of reaching for that ever elusive 90? And why call ourselves Children of God and continue to live in bondage or without a purpose?

Returning from vacation mode involves getting back into shape physically, but also sharpening myself mentally and spiritually. And in everything we know that we are never running the race alone.