Longevity

ESPN announced this morning Brett Farve is a grandfather. Now that is not big news, men become grandfathers everyday. What is news is the fact that if Farve plays next season, he will be the first grandfather to play in the NFL. That fact alone speaks to his longevity. Brett has been around awhile! Considering the nature of the NFL, this speaks volumes about his ability to play in a league where the average career is 3 1/2 years. We should congratulate Farve for his accomplishment and celebrate the fact that here is a man who has found something he enjoys and still has "a fire" in his bones that keeps him playing despite the occasional injuries, the routine of training camp and the contact of the game.

Longevity is necessary in our Christian walk as well. Our faith is not a sprint, but a marathon. We do not get points for a fast start, but for finishing well. The Apostle Paul told his young apprentice, Timothy that he had completed the race well.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7,8

So my challenge for all of us is to stay faithful to the cause of Christ. However, the challenge for the believer is not to simply grow old in the faith, but to grow up in the faith. We grow old in the faith by simply letting time go by, but we grow up in the faith, by practicing the disciplines of faith; prayer, study, fasting & giving, just to name a few. I believe those who grow up in the faith have a better chance of remaining faithful to the cause of Christ. Those who grow up in faith remember the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:58,

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

It is that attitude that keeps us going for the long haul. We need to finish well, for Jesus is waiting for us at the finish line. So congratulations Brett, may we have the same desire to live out our Christian faith as you have had for the game of football.