Monday, February 3, 2014

The Soldier, The Athlete, The Farmer

Paul uses three illustrations to teach about endurance; the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer.  Each must prepare, be committed to their goal and do what it takes to succeed.

The soldier must put his family affairs behind him while engaged in warfare.  He must obey his superior officer, work as a team with fellow soldiers, and be willing to die for his companions and his cause.

The athlete must know the rules of his sport, must practice consistently and must participate in the competition in order to be crowned the winner.

The farmer must plow the soil, remove the large rocks and boulders, plant the seed, fertilize,   Irrigate, and fight off pests that would destroy the crop.  The farmer is confined to his neighborhood during harvest so that the entire crop may be brought in from the fields.  Then he and his family are the first to taste the produce.

We will suffer, but we will also reap great reward (2 Timothy 2:3-7; Hebrews 10:36-39; John 16:33; Romans 8:18).