When I read Paul’s writing in the New Testament, I often find myself wanting to shout “me too!” and “I know what you mean!”.

Paul speaks straight into what it means to be human and a follower of Jesus. Romans 7:15 pretty much nails it: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do”.

I can also relate to Paul’s love of sport. He uses numerous athletic metaphors. One of my favourites can be found in his letter to his young friend, Timothy: “For physical training is of some value” 1 Timothy 4:8. I built my entire theology around that  statement for at least 6 years.

Then I realised I’d never win the Tour de France. But, it’s clear that Paul is a fan of training and discipline. Much of his writing includes instructions and recommendations for ‘doing life well’. Paul continues: “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”.

What we do today has some kind of eternal impact. Following Jesus, seeking God, digesting his word and trying to figure out what that looks like in life today, has an effect greater than we can know. So my next gym session, in and of itself, matters at some small level, but being a godly person in the gym has ‘value for all things’. Maybe it’s a simple conversation with someone whilst you’re waiting for a machine, perhaps acknowledging someone, without knowing that it restored some of their faith in people after feeling like they’ve  been ignored for years. We can’t perceive the ripple effect of everyday godly actions so let’s keep “straining forward to what lies ahead, driving on toward the finishing line” (Philipians 3:13-14).