“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.
My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
– John 10:10 (NLT)

Who wants to be an “average” athlete or coach? To truly compete means much more than to simply show up and participate. Great athletes and coaches have a deep desire to be the best. They put in the time and effort to improve their skills and knowledge of the game. I’ve heard it said that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something. If I do the math, that’s over four hundred days. Now I don’t know if this number is fact or fiction, but what it does tell me is that it takes a great deal of work. It also tells me why we have so few experts, most people will not put in the hours to be great. Those who dare to be great usually reap the rewards of their efforts whether it be fame, fortune or the self-satisfaction of being the best they could be.

The Apostle John knew Jesus well. Surely John watched and listened closely during the three year ministry of his friend. To John and the other disciples, Jesus was anything but average. Jesus stood out in a crowd and He wants that for us too. Jesus often referred to himself as the good shepherd and he said that his flock would follow him because they knew his voice. These followers, Jesus said, would find good pastures, not average pastures. Jesus does not want you and me to settle for an average life, He wants the best for us. The amazing news is that we can have this type of life immediately. Knowing that, why would we want anything less than the rich and full life He offers? Why would we hesitate?

Lord, average is not in Your vocabulary. Push me today to be all You have called me to be. Amen.