Ego Check Please
Greetings all! May rolls in and
tornado season
is here for many of us. Having
never dealt
with this issue before (I am
more experienced
with hurricanes and Nor'easters),
I have
come to appreciate the awesome
power of God
even more. At least with hurricanes,
you
kind of know they're coming,
but not with
a tornado. Not here one minute
and then WHAM!
A whole town gone. It can really
make you
think about how insignificant
you really
are. It can be a tremendous blow
to the ego.
Walking into a new gym for the very first
time can be intimidating, even
for the experienced
weight trainer. Oh, you see them
come swaggering
into the place like they own
it, but if they
do an honesty check, they'll
admit to wondering
if they are the biggest or strongest.
You
see them, glancing in the mirror
at the other
lifters, sizing them up, counting
the number
of plates on the bar at the squat
rack. Thinking,
"I can squat more than that!"
I
admit that at one time I was
one of those
guys. ICK! I hate that part of
me that was
and I am so glad it is gone!
You see, if
you are really serious about
bodybuilding
and getting all you can out of
it, you have
to open those gym doors and right
next to
the coat rack, check your ego
too. Ego really
has no place there. It breeds
rudeness and
arrogance; something we as Christains
should
try to avoid. What does it matter
if you
can bench press 100 lbs. or 500lbs.?
If all
a guy can bench is 135lbs., isn't
it benefiting
him just as much as the guy who
can bench
225lbs.? It is about your own
personal battle
with the weights, nobody elses.
Egos get
in the way and can cause injury
as well.
Think about it, I know you've
been there.
Some guy lifts so much weight
and, not wanting
to look like a wimp, you try
the same amount
knowing it is too much. Suddenly
a burning
sensation rips through your peck
and PRESTO!
Pec tear - out for 4-6 weeks.
Was it worth
it? Rhetorical, we know the answer
already.
Check your ego at the door, lift
according
to your capabilities and nobody
elses. You'll
benefit so much more.
When we accept Jesus into our
life we are
changed; we are a new creation. (Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is
a new creation; old things have
passed away;
behold, all things have become
new. 2 Corinthians
5:17). We are no longer that person we were before,
thank God! All that we do should
be focused
on God. All that we are is because
of Him.
We are His children, co-heirs
to the throne
because He loved us so much that
He sent
His Son down to die for us so
that we could
get into heaven! (For God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes
in Him should not perish but
have everlasting
life. John 3:16). Now I know that this is a very popular verse
and and easy one to place here,
but I want
you to meditate on those words
for just a
moment. Jesus came down here
in human form
to walk among us, be a sacrifice
for us and
die on the cross. He did so with
a humbleness
nobody could ever match. He had
no ego and
yet He was everything! Think
about it. At
any time He could have been boastful
about
who He was and with a sweep of
His hand obliterate
all those who persecuted Him.
Yet He didn't.
He checked His ego at the door
and obeyed
His Father in heaven. What about
you? Have
you checked your ego at the door?
Are you
at least trying? Let me give
you an example
of what I mean. I can quit (name
your addiction)
anytime I want! Really? There
are some drug
addictions that cannot be stopped
without
medical intervention. UNLESS,
it is from
God. I have heard testimonies
of people who
were addicted to crack and accepted
the Lord
and POOF! No addiciton, no need
for a fix.
They let go and let God; they
checked there
ego at the door.
And now for our prayer. Lord,
when we think
we can do it on our own, or we
begin to think
we are a better because of what
we know or
do, remind us of our place and
role in this
life: to serve You and bring
people to You
for salvation. Help us be a role
model for
the Christian way of life. In
Jesus' name
we pray. Amen!
Now go with God and lift that
iron!
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