We Are the Champions

You have probably seen the tee-shirts with über confident slogans on them.  Mostly from athletic companies, some can seem downright arrogant.  The one shown above is one I got for my son on a clearance rack about a year ago.  I thought it was cute.  After all, he is my little "champion."

I was in front of him yesterday, pushing him on a swing when the saying on it struck me as truth.  "Champion in The Making."  It was a moment of realization that we are all wearing this title in God's eyes.  If we have given our selves to God, He is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  We have won be because of the One who died for us.  Even more, we are always going to be in training while dwelling on Earth AND also living in victory, knowing the grace and grand love of God.

In my mind, to be in training, there has to be some effort involved.  Growing in faith doesn't just happen.  I thought about 3 things that are essential to my growing faith...here it goes:

1.  Show love- true love for mankind.  Make a difference in someone's day by taking delight in them.  Show love in the simplest of ways, and mean it.  Show love without getting credit for it, announcing it, or looking for a returned favor.  (i.e.- hug, compliment, pay for someone's lunch, make a phone call, etc...) "AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31“The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 


2.  Practice gratitude- deeply, genuinely express a thankfulness in quiet for all the works and miracles in your life.  As swift & winding as a life's path can be, we never can appreciate it all if we don't pause daily to be thankful for the little things.  Thankfulness is a lifestyle.  I truly love Einstein's quote, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."  Isn't the moon miraculous? Don't you love the miracle of a newborn? Your heart beats without you prompting it...miracle, right?


3.  Be consistent- if you mean to drink more water, do it daily.  If you want to spend more time with God, take some moments to retreat from TV, work, technology to do so.  Like a bank account, saving a little each day adds up to a large sum in the end. What you do consistently over time, is what you become.  Albeit little or trivial now, it can make for a mighty difference later on.  

Living as a champion in training doesn't mean there are no mistakes.  There will be. That is sin.  There are days that I fail miserably at all three... With the help of a loving God, though, we can have a hope of living in triumph in our fallen world.