Stand Up Straight!
“Examine yourselves…” [2 Cor. 13:5]

It’s likely that we have all seen basketball players taking advantage of a break in the action to bend over and hold their shorts while someone else is shooting free throws. Perhaps we have even done the same thing. That’s because the natural tendency is to lean over when you’re tired.

The same is true in running. As we tire, we gradually begin to bend at the waist and the move is so subtle that we seldom realize it. The problem is that that is the worst thing to do! When you bend at the waist it constricts your diaphragm and limits your breathing, making it more difficult to get the air that you need. It feels like the natural thing to do, but it is actually the worst thing to do!

I’ve noticed a similar reaction in our spiritual lives. When we begin to tire we often lean in a way that actually hurts us. Maybe we’re tired from the stress of a particular issue or some hidden burden that no one knows about or just the cares of everyday living. It is at that point that many make the unconscious choice to lean by forsaking the church assemblies, by not being with other Christians, by not reading and praying and by not taking advantage of the strength around them. It feels like the natural thing to do, but it is actually the worst thing to do!

It is in those moments we need to check our posture. While running, I look for any reflective surface (windows, mirrors, etc.) to see if I need to straighten up, literally! Spiritually, God’s word provides the mirror (James 1:23, 24) and we are to examine ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5) and make positive changes in our life.

Have you been leaning lately? Look in the mirror to see if you need to straighten up.

Gotta run!