So, now that I have finished sharing my personal testimony with you, it’s time to embark on this incredible journey together and grow closer to our King! Before I begin, I really want to thank you for following up to this point. Can you believe it has already been a month? I hope you are as excited as I am for what this year has in store. It’s my belief that, no matter age, race, gender, social class, or any other “category” this world may label each of us in, we are all beautifully equal and we ALL have the ability to learn from one another and be inspired by one another. It has been such a blessing hearing from SO many; I hope you understand how much you play a role in this challenge. You are the one encouraging me and keeping me focused. So let’s get started!
I find that in sports, as well as in school and relationships and work, it is unbelievably beneficial to go “back to the basics” and periodically re-visit the fundamentals of what we do. At times, we get so comfortable in our successes, that we have the tendency to unknowingly become stagnant in our progress and growth. But, if we take a little time to humble ourselves and study the core principles of our activities, it’s often refreshing and beneficial. With that being said, what are the core principles of our faith? If somebody walked up to you today and asked you what it is you believe, what would you say? How would you summarize all that Christianity entails quickly enough to keep their attention? And would you truly believe your own words? What are the foundations of your life?
It’s easiest for me to break it into 3 points. Three core, elementary principles that we MUST believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Three fundamentals that are all interconnected and are the basis of our Christian walks. It is not up to us to pick and choose which one we like best, we must be convicted in all three, wholeheartedly.
First, and most simply, we have to believe that Jesus Christ was a real man. A human being that walked this earth and was bound by all of the same temptations, tendencies, desires, and abilities as you and I. He was real. He is a historical figure. There is little that can really even be debated about this point because it is simply historical knowledge. He was a human being that existed.
It’s a bummer for Jesus that there wasn’t internet or twitter or cameras back then, because it seems like, now-a-days, the only content people will believe is the content the pops up on their iPhones. The content they can physically see. But all it takes to prove this human being’s existence is a trip to the library. Christianity is not the only religion that recognizes that this man was very real. He was a magnificent man and a true leader. He was a man who lived with purpose and a man who lived PERFECTLY.
That’s the one factor that boggles my mind the most. This man lived in a way that no other man had lived before Him and that no other man has lived since Him. He lived PERFECTLY! He was bound by all of the same human limitations we are bound by, and He STILL lived without flaw. He was never afraid to live completely differently than every single person around Him. He was never afraid to defy the kings and leaders of the land in order to stand strong by what He believed. Can you even imagine? It’s hard for me to even wrap my head around sometimes. And it gets me SO fired up. This man was exceptional! He was 100% convicted in His purpose and He never faltered. He never stumbled. Good grief, I stumble daily. I stumble hourly. Yet this man lived His entire life and never lost His footing. He was completely obedient, no matter the sacrifice or suffering He had to endure. And He taught, passionately.
Whether or not you choose to recognize this man as the son of God, which is a point we will look at tomorrow, you cannot deny that this man was exceptional. He was real and He was fantastic. He was a genuine leader and He stood strong on the principles of everything we should strive towards. He must be respected. He was a human being that must be respected. It drives me crazy to sit through history class and leadership class and listen to all of these other individuals addressed (Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Desmond Tutu, Hitler, George Washington, etc.) for their exceptional leadership and sacrifice, yet modern culture refuses to print and teach content about Jesus Christ. HELLO! He was the greatest leader that ever walked the face of this earth. He set the example for every single individual that has followed Him. He, single-handedly, built the framework for what leadership is and how we should strive to live our lives!
I could ramble on for hours about this first point, but the basics of this first fundamental are simple. We must recognize and give validity to the man, Jesus Christ. He was a human being that deserves every single person on this earth’s respect. All spiritual and religious components aside, He was a human being that must be celebrated. Because He did it all correctly. And He never failed.
How, then…you may be wondering…was this human being capable of such perfection? How was He able to perform all of the acts that He did and resist all of the temptations? How was this man capable of living so flawlessly? Well, that leads us to the second pillar of our foundation…
(to be continued)
