As Christian competitors, we realize that God has called us to serve, but do we understand that we should be consumed to serve? Is there a consuming fire that burns in us to serve others around us who are hurting and to help those who need to experience the love of Christ through us? We serve because the ultimate purpose of serving is to glorify Christ. Rick Warren said, “We serve God by serving others. The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. In our self-serving culture with its ‘me first’ mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept.” In the athletic world, everyone struggles to some degree with the “me first” mentality.

Do you like to speak in public? What about in front of many adults? What about speaking in front of your school board? Three students at a local middle school did just that the other night to defend why they thought FCA should be allowed in their school. For three months, this school board tabled the decision to allow FCA to start, but these students stood their ground and continued to pursue the school board until they allowed them to speak. These brave students had to stand tall for their faith.

In the previous devo "My Stronghold" I spoke about how Abbie overcame her fear of the dog’s (the enemy’s) ankle biting and harsh bark and stopped taking the ‘scenic route’ by deciding one day to charge directly toward the enemy.

Practice isn’t always a player’s favorite thing to do. At times there are two-a-day practices or extra-long exercises to get a team organized. In the beginning, practices are hard and exciting, then when the squad is picked, the coaches focus on teaching plays.

We’ve all heard “practice makes perfect.” A better way to say it is, “practice makes permanent.” How a player performs in practice is how he or she will play in a game, thus, the player who gives a half-hearted effort in practice becomes ineffective at game time. That is why setting specific goals for practice is important.

The Apostle Paul said that every athlete should go into strict training to compete for a prize.

Have you ever turned your TV on to a ball game and witnessed a coach or player saying words you did not want your children to repeat? Foul language is common in athletics today. What makes using these words so attractive? Some say it motivates or is necessary to get a point across. If this is the case, how do teachers and preachers teach lessons of life without using these words? If this type of language is used to motivate, then why is over 90 percent of it used in a negative context?

Here’s a heart check—do we do what pleases our coaches all the time or only when they are watching? Do we do the right thing just to win their favor or because it’s right? In Ephesians 6:6, Paul was rather direct with the people of Ephesus about their work ethic.

I often watch teams closely during practice and as they warm up prior to competitions. I see players who give a great effort when the coach is watching, but as soon as the coach’s head is turned, some of those players immediately start cutting corners and cheating on drills. Their hearts are not fully with their coaches or their teammates. They fail the heart check.

Known as “The Flying Scotsman,” Eric Liddell ran to victory in the 1924 Paris Olympics. He won a gold medal in the 400 meter and set a world record with his time of 47.6 seconds.