The Good Fight
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. – 1 Timothy 6:9-12 NKJV.
Yesterday afternoon (in 1999) I watched a very one-sided grade school, girls’ basketball game. Our girls were outnumbered. We had five on the court and one or two on the bench. They had five on the court and ten or twelve on the bench. Not only were they outnumbered they were also outsized. The opposing team members were all a head taller and thirty pounds or so heavier. As you would think, we were outscored by many points as well. But that really doesn’t tell the story of the game or the girls who played it.
Our girls were facing giants who were older and more experienced. I was surprised to see that as the game went along our team didn’t give up. The more they played, the harder they played. The more they played the tougher they became. They may have lost according to the score, but they played their hearts out and won in another way by the spirit in which they played.
In life we are involved in a gigantic battle. Some become tougher as life goes along. Some appear to lose heart and give up as the battle progresses. Yes, we are outnumbered for there are many more who are unbelievers than are believers. Yes, we may be outscored materially because many will have more toys, more material possessions than we in the end. However, the real winners are those who continue on in the face of impossible odds and fight the good fight of faith.
Always remember 1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
(This devotional has been updated and was originally written and sent by email on 02.23.1999.)