Just Do It

Perhaps you began to question God's love or His wisdom. Maybe you were afraid to say that He was wrong, but you sort of said, "God, you deceived me in letting me believe that this was the right thing to do. Why didn't you stop me?" A whole lot of wrong things can happen if you try to look at God from the middle of circumstances.  Henry Blackaby

Most companies use tag lines in advertising to draw attention to their products.  One of the most famous tag lines is for Nike.  In essence it says “Just Do It”.  So the advertisement will show athletes running faster, jumping higher, and basically doing everything better when they have on a pair of Nike running shoes. 

This started me thinking about tag lines as a Christian.  If we are advertising what it means to be a Christian what should our tag line be?  We want others to want what we have so what could we say as our advertisement that would draw others to us. 

I came up with my very own tag line for what it should mean to be a Christian for our Heavenly Father.  My tag line would be “Just Do the Right Thing and Run the Race”. 

The majority of the time we all know what the right thing would be, but the problem comes in when we try to live up to the right thing.  Sometimes the right thing means we will be required to stand up for someone else and that often means facing ridicule from others.  Other times we might need to stand up to someone close to us and often that means they won’t appreciate our efforts.  Doing the right thing often means it will not be a popular choice and sometimes the very person you are trying to help will not appreciate it and will walk away. 

If we are to live a Christian life the way God wants us to, we will be called to make some tough decisions.  There are going to be tough times when you choose to be a Christian.  We are in the race of a lifetime and too many times we are just sitting on the sidelines instead of running the race. 

Our Christian life is a team sport.  Many years ago when I was in junior high we had what they called field day.  It was the one day near the end of the school year when we did team activities.  I was selected to run the 4x100 relay.  It was the only race where you got to carry something (the baton) and pass it to someone else.  The thing is there is no relay race if you don’t have 3 other people running with you.  When we understand that God intends us to run with others we have won half the battle.  The others in the race of life with us are going to be the ones who help us “Do the Right Thing” and “Run the Race” with excellence.     

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I want to run the race of life doing the right thing.  I praise you for bringing other Christians alongside me who have stood by me when I felt like giving up and who encouraged me to keep running.  This is the race of a lifetime and I want to run it well.  Thank You for Your many blessings and for keeping my eyes fixed on You. 
           
Scripture: Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27