MEDALS OF FAITH: Living in a way that adds luster to the Gospel (Series Introduction)

The muscles in my legs were quivering and the joints in my feet were hurting. Several hours of extreme physical exertion had taken their toll. I wasn’t going to be able to go much farther. It was only a matter of time until, despite all the willpower I could muster, my body was going to refuse to be denied some much needed rest, as well as the replenishment of liquids and nutrients. In short, I was going to collapse.

Thankfully, however, the finish line was in sight. The closer I drew to it, the more I realized that something profound was happening: I was completing a marathon!

Actually this was the second time I had covered 26.2 miles on my own two feet – the first took place in San Diego, a few months after our 25 year-old son Nathan died in a rock climbing fall. (I’ve written about that event in "Windows into the Heart of God," published by Harvest House.) My participation in this marathon reprise came to pass when Nathan’s brother Gregory, older by 19 months, wouldn’t let well enough alone and urged me to train with him for the marathon in our hometown. In a moment of weakness I thought, “Why not? If I wake up on race morning and don’t want to run, I’ll just roll over and go back to sleep in the comfort of my own bed.”

Well, when race morning dawned, I had no honorable “out” and, on a chilly December morning, I found myself standing beside Gregory on the starting line of the Charlotte Marathon. As soon as the race began he left me behind. I didn’t see him again until I was nearing the finish line, which he had already crossed considerably earlier.

Gregory, my wife Glenda, and the rest of our family cheered as I crossed it…but then, in those blurry seconds of relief and exhilaration, I noticed that something was wrong: no one from the race greeted me to hang a finisher’s medal around my neck!

In my previous marathon that had happened, and I knew it was supposed to happen in this one because I saw others being “hung.” Somehow, though, as a cluster of us finished at the same time, I got overlooked.

In one way it was a small matter – after all, I knew what had just happened, and those closest to me did as well – but in another way it was a big deal. I didn’t need it for my ego (at least I don’t think I did!). I just wanted a medal around my neck to indicate to the hundreds of people milling around the course that I wasn’t just a spectator – I had striven and, by God’s grace, I had persevered, and now I was celebrating what had happened in my life.

Before I was able to develop a full-on pity party, a race worker noticed me and hurried over to duly bestow my medal upon me. I then limped to the car to reflect on the event. A few weeks later, I began realizing that the idea of being “adorned” as a testimony to something that has happened in one’s life has some profound spiritual implications.

In the Bible, the Apostle Paul wrote to early-church leader Titus these words:

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds " (Titus 2:11-14 NAS).

Immediately before that masterful summation of what God has done for us in Christ and how it is to shape our lives, he told Titus to urge those whose first-century lot in life was that of a slave to conduct themselves in a manner that would "adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect" (Titus 2:10).

Another translation renders it: "in every way...make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (NIV).

Still another helpful rendering comes from a contemporary paraphrase and speaks of "adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God" (The Message).

Adorn…make attractive…add luster – according to Paul, that’s what we’re to do for the Gospel. While being saved from our sins is unlike a marathon because there is absolutely nothing we can do to achieve or earn God’s forgiveness, the idea of adorning the Gospel by the quality and content of our lives is very much applicable. In other words, as we walk with Christ, certain results of His gracious work in us will come to characterize us, adding luster and making the Gospel attractive to others.

Certainly the fruit of the Spirit that Paul spells out in Galatians 5:22-23 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – is to be abundant. But in my own experience over many years, and in observing others, I have found that a number of specific “medals” will appear in the lives of individuals who consistently walk with Christ. As they emerge – and shine – they do indeed make the Gospel attractive and beckon others to follow Christ for themselves.

What are these “medals of faith”? Over the next few months, my aim is to focus on them in regular (weekly, unless they're not!) installments. As we begin, though, I hope you’ll resolve now to be a participant and not just a spectator, to go the full distance and not to give up in the strain of the race. Even when it might seem difficult, I assure you it’s worth persevering – for your own sake as well as for others. And ultimately, as our lives bring glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, all of Heaven celebrates with us.

So…are you ready? Good. On your mark…get SET…GO! More next week.

Stay sharp,

Preston