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- Apr 25, 2006
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Buff on the inside (1)
'[It is] better to have self-control than to conquer a city.' PROVERBS 16:32
You've seen 'em on the TV, stretching their superbly toned legs on the edge of the track. They're the world's top athletes and every single one of them is buff! You don't get to that level in a sport if you're carrying a pie-belly around with you. But just like getting buff on the outside means the right diet and lots of training - so does getting buff on the inside - building a strong character.
An old Greek bloke called Plato said, 'The first and best victory is to conquer self,' and he was bang on. If you're serious about building strong character, set high standards for yourself and refuse to lower them. Need a role model? You won't find a better one than Jesus. He said, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself' (Matthew 16:24 NIV). Every day look for an opportunity to say 'no' to yourself in some small area. Try it; it'll be hard but the payoff will come when you need to say no to yourself in some big area of life.
Like saving for a rainy day, you'll have strength to draw on when you need it. Over 100 years ago Henry Parry Liddon observed, 'What we do on some great occasion will probably depend on what we already are; and what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discipline'; and that statement's as fresh today as it was then.
written by Bob Gass
'[It is] better to have self-control than to conquer a city.' PROVERBS 16:32
You've seen 'em on the TV, stretching their superbly toned legs on the edge of the track. They're the world's top athletes and every single one of them is buff! You don't get to that level in a sport if you're carrying a pie-belly around with you. But just like getting buff on the outside means the right diet and lots of training - so does getting buff on the inside - building a strong character.
An old Greek bloke called Plato said, 'The first and best victory is to conquer self,' and he was bang on. If you're serious about building strong character, set high standards for yourself and refuse to lower them. Need a role model? You won't find a better one than Jesus. He said, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself' (Matthew 16:24 NIV). Every day look for an opportunity to say 'no' to yourself in some small area. Try it; it'll be hard but the payoff will come when you need to say no to yourself in some big area of life.
Like saving for a rainy day, you'll have strength to draw on when you need it. Over 100 years ago Henry Parry Liddon observed, 'What we do on some great occasion will probably depend on what we already are; and what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discipline'; and that statement's as fresh today as it was then.
written by Bob Gass
