I’ll admit it . . . I love to watch NASCAR. I am fascinated by the speed of the cars and the drivers who work all week to prepare for a race every Sunday. What would happen if they just came to the track on Sunday without doing anything to their cars all week? Or what if they let some other carmaker try to use outside parts on their car? They would do poorly and probably wouldn’t finish the race. These cars are high-maintenance, bought and conditioned as finely-tuned machines to perform at peak abilities when it is time to go.

Every competitive athlete is looking for an edge: a way to get faster—shave seconds off his/her time, get stronger, or jump higher. We know our performance depends on it.

In training, athletes often wear a weighted vest as they go through their drills, helping them push beyond their normal limits. The additional stress to their body in a controlled environment prepares them for the intense demands of competition. When the vest comes off, these athletes feel invincible. They are faster, stronger, and more agile. It is like a prisoner has been freed.

This verse is part of Christ’s Great Commission. As followers of Christ, this is an awesome commandment and responsibility we all share. My question is, how often do we go, but only halfway?

As athletes, we are constantly around teammates, competitors, and others who don’t know Christ. We go to practices, competitions, and social events where we are surrounded by people in need of a Savior, yet end up only going halfway—showing up, but not engaging them in what is most important to us: Jesus Christ. What stops us from going the whole way? Sometimes it’s simple forgetfulness or distractions, sometimes it’s fear, and sometimes it’s a lack of confidence or willingness to be different.

It’s called the “sweet spot.” Every batter in baseball knows where it is. They dream about the sound the bat makes when they find it. From 5-year-old T-ball players to 25-year-old Major League All-Stars, every one of them wants to find the sweet spot. But it’s not just for baseball. Have you ever seen the look on a basketball player’s face when they know their shot is going in? Watch highlights of Michael Jordan from back in the day or of LeBron James now, and you’ll see what I mean.

My first year of coaching was with a football program at a small Christian school. I believe there were only 20-22 players on the team. We were lacking size and had average speed. With only so few players, most of the starters played "iron man" football. A few players played the whole game on defense, offense, kick off and kick return. Would you be willing to bet those players were both physically and mentally spent by half time, much less the end of the game?

As a student athlete who recently graduated, I understand what it’s like to come to terms with life after college athletics. It’s not an easy process to accept that your time of competing for your school is over. With a new class of athletes, it can be disappointing to see that you have been easily replaced. It’s a hard pill to swallow, often coated with a dose of pride. And all those statistics and awards that were such a big deal are quickly erased by another player.

A large crowd gathered for the memorial service of Coach Whitson, a much-loved junior high coach who had been at the same school for 17 years. Several former players spoke of his impact on their lives, describing him as happy and joyful. Those close to him knew what they were talking about, because Coach Whitson understood what it meant to offer thanksgiving and praise to God regardless of the circumstances. He walked in worship, even when the circumstances were not happy. Though he had had his share of pain, his focus on thanksgiving gave him a joy that touched many lives.

I’ll never forget attending my first professional basketball game. I sat two rows from the top of the stadium in the “nosebleed” section. Before the game, I went courtside to see the players up close. It was an awesome feeling standing there looking up. I could only imagine what it would be like during the game when those seats were full and the fans were cheering.

The word “clouds” in ancient Greek times referred to the highest seats in a stadium. If you had a ticket for one of those seats, the usher might have said, “Your seat is in the clouds today.”

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Much like Paul, I also felt at times that I was the worst of sinners. I wondered how God could forgive me, how He could use me. I didn’t measure up. As a young football coach, I modeled myself after several older, rough and rugged, salty coaches who were known to be profane to the extreme and who had a “take no prisoners” attitude. It had worked for them; maybe it would work for me. Using these questionable techniques, I, too, became successful—as in wins and losses. I gained the respect of my peers and won trophies and accolades, but for what? There was still a major hole that needed to be filled—a Jesus hole.

Chris Tidland is a very good golfer. However, for six straight years he missed the final cut in q-school by a couple of strokes. In 2005, it came down to the final hole, and he missed it by one stroke. Many athletes would stop trying after all those years, but knowing Chris, he would never give up. The following year, Tidland again found himself in the top 30 players on the leaderboard in the final round. Only the final 30 would advance to the PGA Tour the next season. Would he finish strong and get an early Christmas present?