Have you ever been pushed further than you thought you were capable? How did it feel when you made it? Imagine what God can do through you!

Runners talk about “hitting a wall” & wanting to quit a race. Spiritually speaking, what are you doing to stay motivated?

When we don’t carry our weight, someone else has to do the job, or it doesn’t get done. What does that mean for the work God calls us to do?

Why did the coach care if the kids ran through the finish line, rather than just near it? Spiritually speaking, how must we follow through?

As I sat in the bleachers watching the last few minutes of football conditioning camp while waiting to pick up one of my boys, I noticed that some of the kids would run full-blast most of the way and then slow down just shy of the yard line in their sprinting exercise.

The coach noticed, too, and as he called all the kids together afterward, I overheard him say something like this: “Run it through the yard line! Don’t jog the last few yards! Do more than you are told, not less! If a coach tells you to run 30 yards, then you run 35! If your parent tells you to mow the yard, then you weed-eat it, too! You’ll be amazed at how much better your life will be if you’ll do more than what is expected from you!”

I resisted the urge to shout, “Amen!” from the stands, but wow – that was far more than just a football lesson. That was a life truth. I could write a laundry list (starting with the laundry, as a matter of fact!) of ways my own kids try to squeak by with doing the bare minimum that they are told (sometimes, repeatedly) to do. It’s easy to point my finger and identify their shortcomings.

Truth be told, though, are we adults any better?

• Do we treat our work schedule like the Flintstones’ whistle and run out the door at 5:00pm sharp, all the while arriving late and taking a long lunch?
• Do we bark at the kids to make good choices while modeling our own bad habits in front of them?
• Do we throw a few bucks in the offering plate every now & then so we don’t feel guilty, because actually budgeting and tithing would be too much effort?
• Do we just assume that “someone else” is going to meet the needs of the community and/or the church instead of stepping up to the plate and volunteering?

Too often, we fall short of the goal line because we fail to run it through. We slack off. We operate with a what’s-in-it-for-me attitude, instead of this mindset from Colossians 3:23 (CEB): “Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.”

How much more smoothly would our jobs, households and church function if we actually lived like we serve a higher authority than ourselves? I reckon we’d be amazed.

Think of a trait or circumstance that you would like to change, but can’t. Ask God honestly how to use that concern to his glory.

How do you see your role in God’s story? Lead actor? Supporting actor? Stage crew? Stunt guy? Every role is vital to the big picture.

Being a “flower vase” or “bean pot” doesn’t mean that we lack the will to make our own decisions, just that God created us with purpose.

Think of your favorite movie or TV character. What makes them special? How might God use your talents in his grand story? Will you let him?

Why do we fight how God created us? Ask a close friend to name your 3 best traits, then thank God for making you unique.