May 3 Thought for the day...how well have you fought today?

In one of my favorite movies, "Braveheart", the lead character William Wallace makes this statement, "all men die but few men truly live". I am not sure if William Wallace actually said that, but it is the intent behind what Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:7

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 

Paul is winding down his life. He knows his end is near. By saying he fought the good fight he is telling us much of his life was a struggle, battle but he stayed the course, he did not give up, he fought! Paul had been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned, rejected, illegally charged, tried and convicted, mistrusted, lied about and to, yet in all of this he stood firm. This could be translated, "I stayed in there and I fought and won!"

Paul goes on to say, "I have finished the race". This is personal. It could read to help us understand better, "my race". Paul didn't do anything anyone else was called to do, he completed "his" race, what he was called to do. It could be translated, "this was my race and I kept going until I did everything I needed to do to win!"

I have "kept the faith". The word "kept" here means to "guard" as in a soldier guarding or protecting a post. Paul is saying regardless of the battles, the attacks, the struggles I kept guard of my faith and I did not let go. I never left my post, I never surrendered, I kept strong watch over the mission and call God had given me.

Paul's perspective was eternal. His fighting, finishing, and keeping was something where he held an eternal perspective. Some of the arguments we get into, some of the things we worry about, some of the things we work so hard to achieve may be things that people remember for the moment but are quickly gone after that moment. Some of the negative things in our lives become who we are and all of the positives disappear because of a moment of surrendering our eternal perspective. Think about the way you are going to engage people today. Think about how you will live your life today. There are many things that seek to rob us of who we are and our reputation. Choose to fight the good fight and keep the faith so you will win!