1 Corinthians 9:19-27: a reflection

19For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; 21to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law. 22To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 23Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it. 24Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, so that you may win. 25Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air, 27but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Paul reaches for the image of an athlete to describe the Christian life. Runners in a race all run, he says, but only one gets the prize, so run to win. And every athlete exercises self-control in all things, disciplining themselves rigorously, and they do it for a fading wreath, while we run for an imperishable one. Paul takes his own faith with that kind of seriousness: I do not run aimlessly, he says; I do not box as one beating the air; I discipline my body and keep it under control.

Notice the purposefulness. Paul does not drift through his spiritual life casually, hoping things turn out. He trains, he disciplines himself, he runs with aim, the way a serious athlete does. He knows that a life poured out for God is not sustained by good intentions but by actual self-control, actual discipline, actual training over time.

That is a challenge to a casual faith. We can drift, running aimlessly, boxing the air, expecting to arrive somewhere we are not actually training toward. Paul suggests the life of faith deserves the seriousness of an athlete: discipline, self-control, running with a goal in view. Not to earn God's love, which is a gift, but because what you are running for, an imperishable prize, is worth training for. Where has your faith gone slack and aimless? Take it as seriously as a runner takes the race, and run to win.

Lord, keep me from a casual, drifting faith that runs aimlessly and boxes the air. Give me the seriousness of an athlete: discipline, self-control, purpose. Help me train and run with the imperishable prize in view, not to earn your love but because what you offer is worth running for.