Head: Know God's Word | Heart: Love God | Hands: Follow God's Way

Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-26

Head:

Have you ever been in a big competition before? Maybe it was a soccer or baseball game, or maybe a robotics or dance competition- no matter what it was, think about what you did during that season to get ready. How did you prepare your body to know what to do so you would have a chance of winning? I bet you put a lot of time into practicing, trying new things, and building up your endurance so you could perform your very best on the big day! 

Did you know that Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that living for Jesus takes practice, too? It takes focus and prayer to live like Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-26, Paul says:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Heart:

Did you hear that?! When we live like Jesus, we get better than a trophy or a medal! We get a crown in Heaven and get to live with Him forever! Now, that means saying “no” to things that you might want, so you can say “yes” to what God wants you to do.

God wants us to make good choices, show kindness, and practice self-control—just like Jesus did. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says:

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

This makes practicing being like Jesus feel a little easier to me, because we can do it anywhere and in everything we do! 

Hands:

Today, practice running a good race for Jesus. Make good choices and be kind! Maybe this can be as easy as helping with dinner or just saying, “Thanks for the Chick-fil-A!” Or maybe you want to really challenge yourself and do something nice for a neighbor in need, or reach out to a classmate who doesn’t have a lot of friends!

We are praying that God shows you how to be like Him this week! 

Prayer: