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A Good Soldier

Think for a moment about what it means to be a soldier at war, serving one’s country on the battlefield. He does not have time to leisurely read the New York Times while sipping a latte on Saturday morning. His favorite robe is hanging in the closet at home, a thousand miles away. His options for dinner and a Friday night movie are nonexistent. A soldier gives his life for another. His will is not his own. He follows the orders assigned by his commanding officer.

Who is your commanding officer?

Whose will do you fight for?

A Good Athlete

At the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, some of the world’s best badminton players hit several of the sport’s worst shots. The Olympic Committee discovered that four pairs tried to lose their matches intentionally, because a loss would allow them to play a weaker opponent in the next round, or to avoid facing a team from their own country early in the competition. “The rules say you have to win every match, and that doesn’t mean you throw some matches and win other matches,” said Thomas Lund, the secretary general for the sport’s governing body, the Badminton World Federation. All eight players were disqualified for their conduct.

Do you compete according to the rules or what works for you?

What do you need to do so that you can run in such a way as to obtain the prize?

A Good Farmer

The good farmer is the one who works his farm with excellence, diligence, and faithfulness. He never cuts corners, slacks on details, or carelessly skips over chores. The way he cares for his farm impacts his herd, harvest, and home. The hard-working farmer milks his cows two times a day without question, never skipping a day or two because he does not feel like working. Are you a hard-working farmer seeking to accomplish God’s will each day? Do you seek to please another master or yourself?

Where do you tend to cut corners or slack off?

We must be careful not to become overly entangled with things of this world. Some people say they are afraid of being so heavenly-minded that they are of no earthly good. Christians are often so earthly-minded that they are of no heavenly good. Jesus was the most heavenly-minded person who ever lived, and He certainly did the most earthly good.

Paul says, "Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything" (2 Tm. 2:7).