September 14, 2022

Passage Read: 1 Corinthians 8-9
Meditation Verses: 9:24-27

Thought

Paul is in effect challenging every believer to compete with each other, so as to be the one victor. The implication is that we each should be working at greater self-control than the next believer, greater godliness than the next brother. But we think that everyone who enters the race wins a crown, so it's not about the race itself but about gaining entrance through faith in Christ. But Paul blows that out of the water here, especially as he continues, saying how hard he works to control and discipline his body so as not to be disqualified for the prize. Paul gave up everything to serve the Lord and continues to give up rights in service to others for the Gospel. He had abandoned all thoughts of self in service to God and people.

Application

If I'm going to outdo someone, it seems like it would be good to outdo Paul. That's a huge challenge. But really, in a race, you don't look all the way to the leader and set yourself to pass him when you're way in the back, you look to the next person ahead of you and work to pass him, then the next one after that. I need to work on the next challenge to myself, and then the next, and not waste time doing it. I need to jump on my weakness and get it under control as quickly as possible, then move quickly to the next challenge. If I'm going to catch Paul before the race is up, there's a lot of work I need to do. There's temper and food and spending and speaking up, four areas I need to get a handle on.