Each day we wake, we have a battle to fight.
We find that battle in the expectations of our Savior. For most of us, it is about working to have a bigger house, a better car, better clothes…that isn’t God wants us to wake up for each morning. You can accomplish much and have very little. Jesus had sandles and a donkey.
Our battle is to fight for what God wants us to become. Understand that we, as people, are fallen. Believe, no one is a sinner like me. However, if I am to become the person God intended me to be, then I have to wake up each morning and fight.
Fight what?
The battle of self-improvement. I gotta work on me. I gotta fix me.
I wanted to be a great baseball coach, I wanted to be a great principal, I want to be a great superintendent. but I can read the Bible from cover to cover and it doesn’t tell me to be able to master teaching kids how to throw a slider. However, the Bible is very clear on what kind of man I’m supposed to be. And I’m not there….I’m not the man I need to be. I gotta change…and keep working on change…
There is no way to become what God intended us to be without change. God put a warrior mentality in us. That mentality is to be used for self-improvement because that is the biggest challenge we have in our life. I won’t become better until I change. My circumstances won’t change until I change. To win the battle that God has placed in front of you, fight for self-improvement.
Understand what that looks like. A journey towards something is a journey away from something. If you want to go to a different level, what is on the level you have to leave behind?
Let me give you an little visual that might help you. Think of your life as a table with 4 legs. Each leg is represented by something….in this case…it is your social life, spiritual life, academic, and emotional….You can’t have a table with 2 strong legs and two weak legs. What happens if I take away the spiritual leg? If I put a lot of weight in that spot, the table will break and fall over. What happens if I put everything that I have into my job? I take away from the other legs…and I create a weak table.
Look, life is tough. There is a misnomer that by doing certain things you can change and become better instantly. Some people say it is by participating in sports, some think it might be because of reading a self-help book….there are a number of things that people will try to sell you that will help you be a better person. Girls, if you have ever heard anything I said…remember this litmus test…this is how you work to become better….
There was a man some 2000 years ago that died a thief’s death. He died that death for you and me….because he loved us so much and wanted to ensure we had the opportunity to spend eternity with him. One day, you are going to face him. I know when I get there, God will tell me that he has sent me over 2,000 kids during my coaching and principal career each year. What did I do to help them? What did I do to expose them? Did I help them be a man or did I help them be a Godly man? What can I do today to change them or me?
Girls, here it is…read it over and over and never let it leave your thoughts: Are you going to be willing to stand up when the world is telling you to sit down? Are you going to be willing to live right-side up in an upside down world?
Being a Christian…being a good person…isn’t easy. We have to stand up. We have to be willing to deal with and handle the responsibility that God has put in our path. The weight that is on your shoulders….God put it there. Deal with that responsibility. Deal with that challenge. Understand that you must stand up…
Don’t be overwhelmed and don’t be afraid. While it might be your challenge to face, it isn’t your challenge to face alone.
Get in the arena and fight the bull. You aren’t fight alone, but you must have the courage to fight.
Fight the battle of self-improvement. You gotta always work on fixing you and making you better. I’m not teaching you because I’m perfect. I’m teaching you because I realize how imperfect I am.
Dad of Girls 