Timothy 4:7-8 Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.Brad Lauwers was in the locker room, showering after a grueling football workout, when he first noticed the lump. He bent down and rubbed his ankle gently, cupping his hand around the swelling. He felt no pain or stiffness. Probably just some fluid, he thought. It will disappear in a few days.But the swelling didn't disappear, and a month later Brad lay in the hospital bed awaiting amputation of his left leg. The lump turned out to be a malignant tumor that was sending runners out in several directions in Brad's foot. The next day a surgeon removed Brad's leg just inches below the knee. Of all the adjustments to his new life- including "one-legged" jokes, the awkward reactions of friends and learning to walk on an artifical leg- Brad most feared the loss of athletics, his main love in life. He had been a standout on his high school basketball and football teams in Alaska, a sports-crazy state. His doctor, also an amputee (from a war injury), tried to be encouraging: "Remember, Brad, there's nothing you cannot do."Against All OddsFour months later, Brad visited the campus of UCLA for a prosthetic leg fitting. Even before fully learning to walk on his artifical leg, he sought out a basketball backboard and began tossing up reverse lay-ups. The designers had warned him against subjecting the leg to the jarring stops and turns of basketball and had vetoed football outright, suggesting he take up swimming or water-skiing instead. But Brad never gave up his dream of returning to his two favorite sports.As he trained, his artifical limb rubbed his leg stump raw and covered it with blisters. Undaunted, he ran until the blisters hardened into calluses. Then he began working on jumps and pivots.Incredibly, in August, less than one year after the amputation, Brad played his first game as a one-legged quarterback for Dimond High School. Some though his appearance was a mere sentimental gesture. They were wrong: Brad ended the year leading the state in passing! He completed 58 percent of his passes and racked up 662 yards in seven games as a part-time quarterback on the state championship squad. After football season, he started on Dimond's basketball team. From there, he wen't on to major in physical education at Washington State University.When asked about his exploits, Brad shrugs and mentions two factors in his extraordinary achievement: gritty determination and long hours of often painful training.A Lesson from AthleticsPaul uses the analogy of physical training in his letter to Timothy, urging him to train himself for godliness in the same way disciplined athletes train for competition. Brad Lauwers had to overcome physical barriers; Timothy faced personality barriers. Several times Paul refers to Timothy's reserved, timid, disposition, which probably contributed to his chronic stomach trouble. Given his shyness and his half-jewish, half-Gentile ancestry, Timothy did not seem the ideal choice for a heresy fighter in a turbulent church. But Paul was convinced that he could do the job. He encouraged Timothy wish such motivational phrases as "I charge you" and "I urge you." He also reminded Timothy of his ordination, a commitment he had made long before.Harassed Christians need a model, an example of how they should live, perhaps even more than they need words of wisdom. In 1 Timothy, Paul urges his loyal friend to become that model by accepting the discipline and hard work required.
