American Ninja Warrior

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:12-17 ESV).

 

One of my granddaughters, who is soon to be seven years old, participates in an after school program that uses “American Ninja” training as an activity. She loves it, though it is hard work. The training course consists of various obstacles that must be traversed using different muscle groups and techniques. Almost all of them involve balance and strength. To conquer these elements requires an immense amount of training and strength building.

 

The Apostle Paul has something to say about training for the obstacle course we know as “life.” The word for “training” in our reading today has to do with discipline in all kinds of education so that people can become model citizens. This means rigorous schooling in academics and the arts as well as physical training. It means learning and understanding many subjects to keep the mind in tune, and it means physical exercise and daily practice to keep the body in tune.

 

Much like well-rounded educational training, growing in godliness and obedience take persistence and practice. We are not instantly fully developed followers of Christ when we first believe in him. Our lifelong training program has only begun. We must establish good habits of prayer, worship, Bible reading, and ministry. Remember that a person who wants to be a disciple of Jesus is one who must learn discipline.

 

It takes strenuous effort and significant time to turn from bad ways of thinking, talking, and acting and to run well on God’s path of right living. Keep in mind that we are training not for a sprint but a marathon. “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Just like Maggie will get better in her Ninja training, we can get better in our spiritual disciplines through perseverance and training.