When I was recruiting, it was critical for me to judge if a potential player was a true competitor or not. True competitors are easy to spot. They are the ones who are willing to do the things most people shy away from.

According to 1 Samuel, David was a competitor. All he wanted was for Saul to give him the chance to fight Goliath. He wasn’t fearful of a big challenge because he had prepared himself to seize the moment. He had already faced obstacles as a shepherd, defending his flock from lions and bears, which developed his confidence. And like a true competitor, David knew where his strength came from. When facing Goliath, he boldly told him that he came to fight in the name of the Lord.

Just like David, we can be true competitors both in our sport and spiritual life. We must continually prepare ourselves physically and spiritually to take on any obstacles we may face. It is the willingness to sacrifice and train ourselves to grab hold of opportunities that separates a true competitor from the rest of the crowd.