In our game, we would walk side-by-side through the house with our arms over each other’s shoulders. As we walked, we would say out loud, “Walkie-Talkie,” with each step. The way to win the game was by suddenly trying to trip the other person by throwing them to the ground. In this very specific case, my brother won when I went flying face-first into my mom’s showcase furniture. My front tooth had found a new home!

I was recently thinking about this game while reflecting on my spiritual walk. Sometimes it feels like I am playing spiritual “Walkie-Talkie.” Over the years, I have walked shoulder-to-shoulder with many people (friends, teammates, family and others) who have tried to take me out because a competitive spirit developed. Just like in the game, we all have a desire to be victorious. There seems to be a drive to outperform other people or to be one step ahead. Not only do we want to win in life, we sometimes just want to defeat others.

I confess. I quickly get sucked into this game of walkie-talkie. But when someone walks with you side-by-side and begins to see how you live, there should be a deeper trust developed. That person should see that you are the real deal. But it often seems that when people get to know us better, they trust us less and begin to see the gaps in our lives.

When I played lacrosse, my desire was that my teammates who saw me on the field, in the locker room and in the classroom would know that my faith in Christ was real and authentic. That I had nothing to hide. The goal was that the more they got to know me, the more they got to know Jesus.

When someone walks with us, they rub shoulders with us and get to know us. We can’t fool them with words because our lifestyle quickly drowns out what we say. As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 4:20 that the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. Our lives should be evident of His power. When a teammate or friend walks with us, our lives should be filled with hope, love, joy, peace and humility—not with a competitive spirit. Our lives should be walking, talking examples of how Jesus is living in and through us. After someone spends time with us, they should say, “That is the closest I have ever come to walking with Christ.”

Now, I don’t mean this in a prideful way. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:16 (NLT), “So I urge you to imitate me.” Paul basically said that if people wanted to know how to walk like Jesus, they should just copy him. I always thought that was an arrogant statement, but I now realize it was a statement of accountability. Paul was willing to put his walk in the spotlight. His life in Christ screamed authenticity. It would have been easier for him to tell others to imitate Jesus, Himself. Most of our lives don’t look anything like the life of Christ, so we would have a hard time uttering those words. Instead, Paul was so close to Jesus, so intimate with and in love with Him, that he was willing to state it because his life backed it up. Paul was saying, “Hey, if you want to walk with me for a couple hours, you will get a full understanding of what the life of Christ was all about.”

After reflecting on this Scripture, I have gained a deep, humble desire for people who are with me for several hours or even several years to say, “That is the closest I ever came to walking with Jesus.” Whether it is playing sports, working with me or just hanging out, I want them to get a full understanding of who Jesus is. That is the game of walkie-talkie I want to play.

I challenge you to become more like Christ every day so that He can be more evident to others through your life. Our world is dying to see what a fully surrendered Christian looks like. Man, count me in. I want people to walk with me and find out I am the real deal.

GO: 
1. How do you respond to Paul’s statement, “So I urge you to imitate me?” Does it scare you? Motivate you? Intimidate you?
2. Do you feel like your walk is stronger than your talk? Why or why not? What would it take for those two to line up?
3. When people walk with you and get to know you, do they have greater appreciation for your love for Jesus? Why or why not?
4. In what specific ways do others see Christ in you?
5. Think of someone who brings you close to Christ when you are around them. What is it about their life that makes them that way?

WORKOUT: 
Romans 12

OVERTIME: 
“Lord Jesus, I long to make an impact on those around me. When it comes to the Kingdom, the last thing I want to be is irrelevant. Help me, Jesus, to have an awesome attitude like Ryan’s. Fill me up, Holy Spirit. Anoint me to do Your plan. Put a sense of urgency in my heart. Thank You, Lord, that I have victory because You never lose. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Dan Britton serves as FCA's Senior Vice President of Ministry Advancement at the World Headquarters in Kansas City. He and his wife, Dawn, reside in Overland Park, Kan., with their three children: Kallie, Abby and Elijah. He still loves playing and coaching lacrosse and running marathons. You can e-mail Dan at dan@fca.org.

Has God put a lesson on your heart? Share it with others! Submit your own Impact Play devotion online at www.fca.org.

 Daily Pray of Focus

As the Israelites entered the land flowing with milk and honey, their leader, Joshua, was confronted by the commander of the Lord’s Army. This commander issued a game plan for Joshua and his troops to take over Jericho. Joshua listened intently and reported his plan back to his troops. That report might have gone something like this…”OK, I’ve been told that we are to march around the city walls once a day for six days, and then, on the seventh day, go around seven times, blow our horns, and then yell. If we do that, the walls will fall down. Got it? Ready…Break!”

I’m not sure, but I would imagine there were probably some people wondering if that plan would succeed. Walk, blow, yell and victory? Riiiight.

When you read the full story closely, you find that Joshua and his people did exactly as they were told, and they were granted victory. But what if someone didn’t follow the instructions? We don’t know what would have happened to the Israelites, but we see some possible similar scenarios in sports today. Teams fail to follow their plans, and they lose.

Sometimes, in sports, following the game plan perfectly does not guarantee victory, but it might help a team perform at its best. And that is God’s expectation of us, as well. We are to follow His Word and His command to obey Him. God’s ways are perfect; our ways are not. Only He knows what the future holds. Trusting in Him, as Joshua did, will guide our paths to a better tomorrow if we truly believe.

Next time you think your plan is better than God’s plan, think twice and think wisely, my friend.

GO: 
1. What has been the best game plan you have seen in sports? What was the team’s outcome?
2. Do you have a hard time following God’s game plan for your life? Do you even know what His plan is for you?
3. What can you do today to take Him at His Word and follow His instructions?

WORKOUT: 
Joshua 24:14-15
Psalm 119:73
Proverbs 3:5-6

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Jere Johnson is a FCA staff member from the Chicago area. If you would like to contact Jere, please email him at jerejohnson@fca.org . Also, check out www.sportsdevo.com for more of Jere's devotions.

Has God put a lesson on your heart? Share it with others! Submit your own Impact Play devotion online at www.fca.org.  

Daily Prayer of Focus

Passion
"May they yearn, even faint, for the courts of the Lord; crying out for the living God..."

-- Psalm 84:2

Sound familiar? Maybe you have been there too. I know I have, many times. The Bible talks about the life of David. You know the giant slayer? He had to wait too. At the age of 16 he was anointed king, but it wasn’t until age 30 that he became king. He waited 14 years! Not only did he wait, but he had to run for his life while he waited as a jealous King Saul was pursuing him. Waiting on the Lord is one thing, but fearing for your life and waiting for the Lord is another.

As Jason waited he made good use of his time. He took other coaching jobs to prepare himself for the time when he would get a head coaching position. He didn’t sit and pout and play “woe is me” in waiting. But he certainly learned what we all learn: that waiting for God is not easy. Many times it seems that He is not answering our prayers or does not understand our timing needs. But when we don’t trust Him, we imply that God is not in control or is not being fair with us. We know that is not the case. In this waiting, God wants to teach us, refresh us and renew us so that we will be of greater use to Him.

Like David, Jason knew that the waiting would be worth it. Jason finally landed a head coaching job for a girl’s basketball team, and his team did extremely well. His patience and diligence in the meantime paid off. So, what about you? What are you waiting on God for today? How long have you been waiting? Days, weeks, years? Are you ready to give up, give in or give God more time—His perfect time—to act? God’s desire is for us to make good use of our time waiting and find out what He wants us to learn. One thing I have learned in life is that He won’t leave you hanging out on a limb forever. He will act, but in His time.

GO: 
1. What are you waiting for?
2. How hard is it for you to be patient?
3. Today, how can you make good use of your time while waiting on God to act?

WORKOUT: 
Psalm 40:1-4
Lamentations 3:24-26
Romans 8:25 

 Daily Prayer of Focus

Purity
"Lord, create clean hearts in our athletes and coaches and renew steadfast spirits within them..."

-- Psalm 51:10