Passion for the Prize

The Winter Olympics have just finished. Watching the various athletes compete reveals some valuable insight into what it takes to win a medal. While the vast majority of us will never be an elite athlete, we all can learn a valuable principle that we can apply to our own life. Very few worthwhile things are accomplished without passion.

The Apostle Paul was writing to the Corinthians and he described his passion for those who were without Christ. He was willing to do whatever it took to affect people with the gospel. He said in 1 Cor. 9:22,23: “To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel's sake…”. Paul models for us the need to have a passion for those who are lost. May God give us all that kind of desire to be used to see people come to Christ.

Paul challenges all of us to be passionate about serving and living for Jesus Christ. He uses the image of an athlete competing in the games. He tells the Corinthians to run for the prize, not a medal, money, or some other earthly crown but the prize of God’s favor. He also challenges us to run our race with self-control, discipline, and purpose. Living for our Lord is like running a race. We must focus on the finish line of God’s favor. We must be careful to not veer off course and be distracted by various temptations. Our passion to run the race needs to become our all-consuming focus.

The athletes in the Winter Olympics went through self-restricted training regimens. They followed all the rules of the competition. But most of all they were overwhelmingly passionate about their sport. May we as followers of Christ be possessed with an all-consuming passion for our Lord. One day we will stand before Him. Will we receive the reward of His “well done”?