I recently read a humorous description of a not very serious fight between children. They ran at each other with heads bent, eyes closed, flailing their arms like wind mills spinning in the air, missing each other by yards. All they were doing was beating the air. It’s funny to picture kids doing it, but not so humorous a thought in our spiritual fight. Sometimes we live our Christian life the same way—flailing around with our eyes closed. It is worthless and accomplishes nothing. Especially as fathers. If we’re going to lead our homes, disciple our children, love our wives, and resist the schemes of the devil, we can’t afford to fight blind. We need eyes open, fists ready, and hearts trained.
In 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, Paul tells us how we can stop beating the air and achieve something.
Get in the Fight: From Spectator to Contender
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” —1 Corinthians 9:24
In these verses Paul uses athletes as an illustration. Athletes are competitors, not spectators. What about you? Are you a spectator for Christ? Is sitting in a pew the extent of your spiritual life? We need to rise above being a spectator and enter the race or we will accomplish nothing. Make a commitment to be an active Christian every day of your life.
Far too many men sit in the pew like it’s their recliner—merely watching instead of actively engaged in the race. Your family needs more than that. Your children need a warrior who steps into the fight for their souls. Your wife needs a man who labors in love and leads with spiritual courage.
Paul didn’t train to watch. He trained to win. We must choose the same. The time for passive manhood is over. It’s time to get in the ring.
Practical challenge: Pick one spiritual action today. Pray over your children. Open your Bible. Confess your sin. Lead your family in a devotion. Step forward—not back.
Train with Purpose: Aim Before You Swing
“So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.” —1 Corinthians 9:26
Paul did not run without aim or beat the air (1 Corinthians 9:26). He had his eyes fixed on a goal and worked toward that goal. What about you? What are you aiming at in your life? What are your goals? Be specific. If you want to be more evangelistic make it a goal to reach out to at least one person a week. If you want to pray more, determine how many times a day you would like to pray. How many chapters of the Bible do you want to study every day? Remember to be realistic. For most people it is not realistic to aim at studying 2 hours a day. Try not to make goals you cannot reach. If we aim at nothing, we will accomplish nothing. Try making some goals related to your Christian life.
What are you aiming for, spiritually?
- To be more present with your family?
- To kick a sinful habit?
- To grow in the Word?
- To disciple your son or daughter?
- To become a spiritual leader instead of a spiritual bystander?
You can’t hit what you don’t aim at. Set a clear, measurable goal:
- Read one chapter of Scripture every morning before work.
- Pray with your wife every night.
- Memorize a verse each week with your kids.
- Ask one coworker each week what they believe about God.
You don’t need to overhaul your life in one day. Just take aim. Then take one step forward.
Remember: A real man takes responsibility for where his life is headed.
3. Master Your Body: Discipline Beats Emotion
“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” —1 Corinthians 9:27
The Greek word for “discipline” used here literally means “to give a black eye.” Paul says he beat his body into submission. He wasn’t a slave to his urges—his body was a servant to his mission. That’s the kind of grit Christian fathers need. It is going to take work and dedication to reach our goals. Are you ready to put in the effort? Are you really ready to reach out? Are you truly ready to study every day? We should be, we want to be, but we often make excuses. Paul gives us motivation to reach our goals: the fear of being disqualified. If we are just spectators, if we are not striving to be imitators of Christ, most likely we will drift away. Don’t let yourself be disqualified, dedicate yourself to reaching your goals and improving your Christian life.
Jesus warned us about the same danger. He spoke of those who caused others to stumble—especially the young (Matthew 18:6–7). As fathers, we must not be spiritual stumbling blocks. Our children are watching. Our wives are watching. And more than that—God is watching.
Ask yourself: What’s the one area of self-control you’re most tempted to neglect? Food? Pornography? Laziness? Anger? Excuses? Start there. Punch back.
Fight for the Crown: The Honor that Doesn’t Fade
In Paul’s day, the athlete’s wreath was made of local vegetation—laurel, olive, pine. Perishable. Yet it was one of the highest honors in Roman society.
But we’re not fighting for leaves. We’re fighting for eternal glory. For the crown that doesn’t wither. For the “well done” of our King. For our families’ future. For the faith of our sons and daughters. For a place in the great cloud of witnesses who didn’t tap out.
This isn’t backyard sparring anymore. This is spiritual war. And it’s worth every drop of sweat, every swing of the arm, every tear of repentance.
Final Charge
It is easy to spend your time flailing your arms around with your eyes closed. It’s easy to sit on the bench and be a spectator. It’s also easy to turn off the TV a bit earlier and read a chapter in your Bible. It’s easy to set your alarm clock to go off 15 minutes earlier so you can pray before starting the day. It’s easy to ask your friend what he/she thinks of Jesus and start a spiritual conversation. Just pick one thing and do it today. Take one step closer to your goal today.
By Jeremy Sprouse
Jeremy has been married to Erynn since August 1999. They are blessed with six children: Jaden, Isaiah, Isaac, Ean, Joseph, and Evelyn. Jeremy preaches for the Patrick St. church of Christ in Dublin, TX and is the author of To Train Up a Knight.
Knights of The Father 