Give Your Life The Best Shot

Recently I flicked on the television right at the time when the United States and France were competing for the Olympic gold medal in women’s basketball. There were about 5 minutes left in the game, and the score was no more than 2 or 3 points apart. One team would pull ahead, then the other. It was a game where every point mattered! If the American women had missed one free throw or the French had shot a 3-pointer, it would have had a different outcome. America won by only one point.

There is a life application to this. What we do with our life matters, especially if you are like me at 75 years of age, living in the fourth quarter of your life. The difference, though, is that there is no overtime going into a fifth quarter. When life is over, it’s over. So, how we live our lives really does matter. Are we just going through the daily routine of living, or are we doing things that will make a difference in the final outcome?

There are several important “points” to shoot for in one’s spiritual walk. Ephesians 5:15-16 and Colossians 4:5 both mention making the best use of our time by walking wisely in our faith and walking in wisdom toward unbelievers. Another way to do what really matters is taking advantage of opportunities. Just as basketball players take advantage of each opportunity to score points, so should we as Christians. “As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

In any sport a good defense is key. The same is true with our faith. I Peter 3:15 says to always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…”

God has appointed a certain number of days for each of us. Psalm 139:16 says “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.” In light of this verse, “teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am” (Psalm 39:4). We need to live to honor God by the way we use our time and taking advantage of every opportunity to make a difference, up until the very end.

If you are in the fourth quarter of your life, it is important to finish strong. Write the final chapter of your life. This can be a composite of all kinds of things brought together for this moment in time. Does anything come to mind as to what you could do to capitalize on all your years of training and experiences? You might want to develop a personal mission statement for your senior years. This way it will help clarify and bring into focus how to maximize your life.

Give your life the best shot!