The “Kid” Gets Decreased As The King Is Increased.

Before we get to today’s article, I just want to mention that am writing from the perspective of a man that has experienced many of the challenges of which I write…. and those spiritual battles continue daily. The articles are implications of what it means to obey the commandment to raise your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. They require some reflection and are particularly for Christians who, as Peter would say, are diligently seeking to confirm their calling and are making every effort to supplement their faith. Said more succinctly, serious Christians. If you know other believers who desire to walk more faithfully with the Lord, please forward an article to them and tell them to sign up for future articles. Thanks so much!

The “Kid” Gets Decreased As The King Is Increased.

There was a man who had great physical skills. He was an incredibly athletic man, and he had the speed, strength, endurance, and hand eye coordination that enabled him to be successful in any sport. He fathered 4 boys and each of them had many of the same attributes from their father. The oldest of the 4 boys was proficient at 2 sports but decided to focus on just 1 with the goal of being the first member of the family line to attend college.

The Lord blessed that boy and through his high school years made him very successful and well celebrated in his hometown. His brothers looked up to him and worked hard to follow in his footsteps. One of his brothers often joked by calling him, “The Kid.” This was an allusion to the kind of character sometimes portrayed in the sports world and movies as a the up and coming talent.

Although the Lord shortened this young man’s sports career in college, “The Kid” never changed his physical development habits and although he didn’t fully realize it, he placed great importance on his appearance. Well into his thirties, he continued to compete against younger athletes 15 years younger and enjoyed all of the compliments he received. One of his brothers would still joke with him about being “The Kid” and he would always respond with the typical, “yep, still got it.”

However, things took a dramatic turn when at 59 years old, he completely ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing basketball against an 18 year old in the local gym. You might think that would have been enough for the man to reevaluate his focus on his physical prowess, but you’d be wrong. Instead, he became more determined to , “make a comeback” and play again.

Eventually, he did play again but had become a shadow of what he once was on the court. He knew that things certainly weren’t the same, but he didn’t fully accept that he could no longer perform as he once did at 20, 40, or even 50 years old. By the way, he had become a Christian at 36 years old and for many years had a sense that he had too much of a focus on his self-image but dismissed any serious thinking about the heart of the matter. He continued to push his body, even though often injured, through difficult workouts in order to achieve the desired results.

But the Lord has made promises, and those promises cannot be broken. The first one is that we will all die and that promise (based on the disobedience of Adam and Eve) is being worked out in the lives of all people. The second to note is that God promises He will be conforming the hearts and minds of Christians to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and one of the chief ways He does this is by destroying the idols of our hearts. Put simply, he will not allow us to love anything in the place of Jesus.

But the Lord is kind and gracious and He usually does not rip our earthly loves away in a moment. Rather, He sends experiences into our lives that continue to nudge us toward the place where we are willing to admit our idolatry and with the help of the Spirit, to turn away from it. Sadly, some people need to be knocked on the head numerous times over many years until that time when the Lord says, “enough” and sends a final blow. So recently, the Lord has been good to allow me (yes, I’m the guy) injure myself during a workout that caused me to finally lay down “The Kid.” I have come to accept something that has always been true: No matter how hard to try, you can’t outrun the curse. You can exercise more and ingest all kinds of supplements, but it will all be to no avail.

And I want to focus on the fact that the Lord has been good to do this. It’s not punishment but the loving chastisement from the perfect Father to discipline His child to something eternally better than having muscles! It is becoming more like Christ!

Since the Lord did this in my life, I have more clarity on the issue of self-love so, let me finish with a few words that you may find applicable in your life.

1. Whatever good thing you have is a gift from the Lord. One of the most common sins that we commit against the Gift Giver is loving the inanimate, temporary gift and ignoring the Giver. How crazy is that? That is what the flesh is prone to do. God wants us to enjoy the gifts that He gives without perverting our desires to chase after them. Look at the things that you enjoy the most in life and ask yourself if you have fallen into the trap. Remember, these gifts from God are not bad things so it is easy to deceive ourselves. They are only bad for us when we make them objects of worship.
2. Be careful not to take my testimony as a reason to not exercise and take care of your body. Your body is the temple of the Lord and just like everything else you have been given, is a stewardship for which you will give an account.
3. Don’ think, “I’ll do it better than he did so it will be different for me.” I see this all the time among young people. They truly believe that they can have a better experience than most and although the Lord may grant that desire to you, don’t count on it. It is not something that you can “make happen.” The ultimate ravage of the curse has no workaround!
4. If you believe you have some physical attribute that is a gift, ask yourself who you are trying to impress. It should only be your spouse. Rather than physical impressions on others, we should be making impressions that draw them or make attractive Christ in us. Remember 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.

Finally, a word suggested to me by my younger Christian brother who called me “The Kid.”

He pointed me, and us, to 2 Corinthians 4:16-18….

 So, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Thanks for checking in. See you next time.

OTHER RECORDINGS THAT YOU MAY FIND HELPFUL:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Share on Facebook

Last modified: October 4, 2023