Don't Rest On Your Laurels!

A classic phrase with a classic truth!

  

The laurel wreath was used in greek athletic games dating back to the 6th century.  It was used to crown the victor!  You can still see them inscribed in olympic medals today.  In fact in the 2004 olympic games they crowned the winners with laurel wreaths (the games were held in Athens, Greece).  

This phrase simply means that we shouldn't rely on past accomplishments to propel us into the future!  It can be applicable to any situation of growth, learning, or accomplishment.  I would like to apply it in two very specific ways today.

First off in our craft!  Whether you play guitar, drums, bass, keys, or didgeridoo, this can apply to you!  When you started playing you spent countless hours practicing and working on your instrument.  As you progressed you became more proficient and more confident in your abilities.  However there is a tendency to "rest on your laurels" when you reach a certain point in your playing.  You can play most common songs and do a "decent" job at it.  However we should always strive to do our best, not just "good enough," particularly in the area of worship!  God deserves our best!  Sure there will be times where we mess up or make a mistake.  We don't have to pretend to be perfect, however we should give our best!  Psalm 33:3 says, "Sing to Him a new song, play skillfully with a shout of joy!" 1 Chronicles 25:7 says, "all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord!"  We should have a desire to our best for God!  So lets continue to practice, learn, and grow in our instruments.

The second area I would like to focus on is our spiritual growth.  When you first accepted Christ into your life you probably had a strong desire to grow spiritually.  And just like playing your instrument, you reach that point where you start "resting on your laurels."  You know most of the Old Testament stories and have read through most of the New Testament.  Again, there is a tendency to slow down and stop growing.  This is dangerous!  Paul talks about this in the book of 1 Corinthians:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

Paul uses this illustration of running a race and it reminds me of something I loved doing as a young boy.  I loved escalators and I loved running up them backwards.  If you read my last blog post you're probably thinking, "like father, like son."  Anyway I loved the challenge of making it up to the top!  However there's a funny thing that happens when you slow down or stop on that escalator.  You start going backwards.  You become counterproductive very quickly.  Well, that's exactly what happens when we start "resting on our laurels." We quickly start to lose ground and start becoming ineffective.   

I don't know about you but I don't want to lose ground. I don't want to become ineffective for Christ.  So let me encourage you (as I encourage myself) to not "Rest On Your Laurels!"  Keep growing and working on your instrument and on your relationship with Christ!  

Serving Him,

Jimmy