Imagine this: You are on the field, the mat, the court or the track, and the stands are full of cheering spectators. The crowd is watching your every move. As athletes, we thrive under these circumstances.

But do we remember that every day, whether competing or not, we have heavenly and earthly witnesses watching our every move? We must realize that we don’t compete or perform to please the crowds; rather, we should strive to please God alone. We should compete to show God’s glory to those who are watching us.

Athletes know that it takes years of dedication and devotion to achieve excellence in their sport. They train every day to perfect their techniques and avoid all of those things that could hurt their performance. This is also true in our spiritual lives.

Daily, we need to set aside time with God to learn His ways so that we can show others His ways. We need to pray and ask God to help us stay away from all of the things that keep us from a closer relationship with Jesus. We need to ask Him to help us avoid those things that keep us from excelling in our sport.

We are an example to others of God’s greatness and love. We have a lifetime commitment to training as an athlete both physically and spiritually, and this commitment holds great rewards.

Spectators are watching both in heaven and here on earth. Commit to showing them God’s greatness and an athlete who loves the Lord.