How many times do you self-destruct? Do you spend money beyond your means? Are you exercising less? Eating more junk food? What about losing your temper, watching too much TV, or being rude to others? Do you take the wrong aim and end up defeating yourself?
Have you heard the true story of one of the most unusual prizefights to ever take place? It began in the usual way as the two combatants entered the ring. But it didn't take long for an unusual series of events to occur.
As the fight progressed, one boxer took a vicious swing at his rival. The ferocious blow landed like a concrete block right to the nose. The fighter began to stumble and stagger and then fell straight to the canvas.
The oddity? The boxer knocked himself out! Strange but true. He took a vicious punch at his foe but somehow ended up hitting himself. It's a strange story, yet it's one with quite a lesson.
How many times do you self-destruct? Do you spend money beyond your means? Are you exercising less? Eating more junk food? What about losing your temper, watching too much TV, or being rude to others? Do you take the wrong aim and end up defeating yourself?
There's good advice found in your BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ.. It says,..."I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should." (1 Corinthians 9:26-27 NLT) In verse 25 it says "They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize." (1 Corinthians 9:26 NLT)
What a good reminder that you need to "Exercise yourself toward godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7). Do you know what that means? Find out about it. Don't miss the mark. Get in the right ring. Be sure you're fighting the right foe and you can be sure you won't knock yourself out.
For GN Magazine, I'm Steve Myers.
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