1Timothy 4:7 - On channeling your inner Nike...

”But the profane and old-woman myths be refusing.  But be disciplining yourself toward godliness.”

-We call them old wives tales.  A traditional belief which is generally regarded as perhaps having no firm base in reality.  I.e. unscientific (and quite possibly incorrect).  Do you know any?  An apple a day...?  Full moon...?  Counting sheep...?  Chicken soup...?  They may actually have some basis in reality, and sometimes they are actually true (grandmas are pretty wise folks), but it is a question of where do you direct your focus and energy?  Do you pay attention to these?  Or to the truths which are able to save your soul?

-And at a fundamental level we are talking about the difference between what is holy and profane - that is the word here (cf Leviticus 10.10, Ezekiel 22.26).  These are not worldly in the sense of their origin - they are worldly in their very nature.  They are that which is to be kept outside the holy place, because they are not holy.  It is the sandals of Moses vs the area surrounding the burning bush.  It is God’s temple and the holy of holies - none of that which is common or unclean or stained by the world may enter - because it will defile that which IS holy and set apart by and for the Lord.  That’s what these myths are - don’t even touch them, Paul says.  Refuse them.  Insist, yay demand to be released from any obligation to them whatsoever.

-Because, the ultimate question here is, what is our goal?  What is the end game of all of this, the ultimate destination?  Paul tells us - godliness.  Godliness.  To be like God, increasingly so.  Bearing His image, in a way which actually resembles Him.  This is what He designed us to do in the first place (Genesis 1.26).  He made us in His image, to be like Him, divine image bearers.  And is there any greater goal, any higher call?  All these other things, these myths and ungodly distractions - that’s precisely what they are, distractions.  Distracting us from our final destination.  Detours.  We are running a marathon, the marathon of marathons, and the route is full of things which can make you stumble or get off track, off the path... Refuse them, Paul says.  Just say no while you’re doing the just do it thing.  Insist on saying no to that which is unhelpful or unnecessary.  That’s the spirit of just do it, is it not?  You say yes to the goal, and to all that it takes to get there, including saying no to a whole lot of unnecessaries.  So discipline yourself, he says.  Channel your inner Nike.  Which means victory.  The goal, the victor's prize.  We are talking about the disciplined and rigorous training of a gymnast or other elite athlete (the Greek verb here is gymnazo).  In fact, anyone who aspires to a lofty goal, be it athletic or in any other arena, must be disciplined.  Dedicated.  Willing to do the hard-work, to sacrifice and focus.  Because in the end, it will all be worth it.  Achieving that lofty goal will be so worth it.  And make no mistake, there is no better higher goal than godliness, than that of becoming more and more like the God Who made us and saved us and is bringing us into His forever family.  Let’s do it...!