Monday, July 12, 1999
Monday, July 12, 1999
Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the
prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.
By the way, do you know how XXX came to mean love and kisses? Back when most people
could not read or write, they signed most official documents with an "X." The X stood for the
cross of Jesus and that made whatever they signed a solemn document. Sometimes, in order to
show their utter sincerity, after they would sign their X, they would kiss it. After most people
started to read and write, they still kept the X around, except now it was XXX and it stood for
love and kisses.
The cross still means love to us today, doesn't it? Just as a pretty girl's love made that young man
run faster on the track, so God's love makes champions out of us. Because we know God loves
us, we work harder to be the kind of people God created us to be. So, XXX from God. What
does that mean? You are loved. Go out and be champions.
Ronald Newhouse, Texas, USA
(1 Corinthians 9:24
NRSV)
I heard about a young man who loved to run. In fact he was a member of his high school team.
He wasn't a champion runner, though. He usually finished third or fourth in big races. Until one
day just before a very big race he received a note from a very pretty girl that he had been trying to
impress. The note said, "I'm cheering for you." And it was signed "XXX, Lisa." We all know that
XXX means "love and kisses." That note fired up this young man, and he won his first big race.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for making me a champion. Amen.
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