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Maximum Effort

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By Steve Wright

Posted
September 19, 2012

Ready: 

“Remember this: the person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not out of regret or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.”
-2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Set: 

High school football season is in full swing, so it’s a good time for me as a coach to do some evaluating by asking what kind of effort we are giving in order to make our team successful. As I’ve been examining the effort of our team, I’ve thought a lot about spiritual matters, as well.

Many coaches and athletes will give maximum effort in order to be a winning team. There is great satisfaction in giving your all and having it pay off. And when November arrives, some of these teams will have secured playoff berths and won championships. They will feel rewarded for their efforts.

As we continue in this season, though, what spiritual seeds are we sowing? Are we giving as generously in our spiritual lives as we are in our athletic lives? As Christian coaches and athletes, we need to remember our mission. What we sow in the lives of our players and teammates will mature one day. Scoreboards go out at the end of the game. Trophies gather dust and are eventually pushed to the back of the trophy case. Our spiritual lives and the investments we make in others in the name of Jesus will last for eternity. The greatest reward will be when He says to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25).

Go: 

1. As an athlete or coach, what are you sowing?
2. Do the results of your efforts make a difference outside of the athletic arena?
3. How is your life reaping eternal rewards?

Workout: 

Matthew 25:14-30
Colossians 3:23-24