Friday, September 5, 2003
Friday, September 5, 2003
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who
has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
How is your second act? That is the test of any commitment in life. When the enthusiasm fades,
when the passion cools, when the numbers drop off, can you maintain your intensity? That is the
mark of a champion.
Olympic champion Jesse Owens once put it like this: "There is something that can happen to
every athlete, every human being--it's the instinct to slack off, to give in to the pain, to give less
than your best...the instinct to hope to win through luck or your opponents not doing their best,
instead of going to the limit and past your limit, where victory is always to be found. Defeating
those negative instincts that are out to defeat us is the difference between winning and losing,
and we face that battle every day of our lives."
(2 Timothy 2.15
NRSV)
Theatrical producer Arthur Hopkins used to receive dozens of manuscripts for plays. Before he
would read any script, he always asked, "How is your second act?" He realized that many new
playwrights had a wonderful first act, but allowed the drama to fade and the plot to drift in the
later parts of the play. There is always a second act, though, and it must be just as impressive
as the first.
Lord Jesus, help me to always give my best. Amen.
