Strength/Beauty is....
So, I was talking with a friend about CrossFit and they encouraged me to share this on Facebook. It started as a status update and I decided it was too big for that, so it became a short blog post.
CrossFit is very big on things like, "Strength is Beauty" and that we should focus on the numbers on the bar going up instead of the scale going down, but I think both ideas are false. Numbers on a scale are used to define physical beauty in terms of size and possibly shape. Numbers on the bar define beauty in terms of strength and muscles. But when one of those numbers doesn't do what we want, we can still be let down and struggle. Or we look at our fellow CrossFitter and say, "I wish I had her/his arms/shoulders/abs or could squat/snatch/do pull-ups like (insert name of CrossFit/Box idol). Why we are drawn to being beautiful, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because we are made in the image of God and God loves beautiful things (c'mon, have you seen a sunset? The mountains? sunrise? dew on a rose? calm after a storm? child's smile? etc...) We are looking to those numbers for identity and security and for me, as a Christian, that should only come in Christ. For me, I'm going to start trying to keep my focus on that and just having fun with CrossFit and using it as a way to honor His temple (1Corinthians 6:19). Below are the words of a song a wrote trying to focus on who I am in Christ. If I can figure out a way to upload a sound recording, I will.
CrossFit is very big on things like, "Strength is Beauty" and that we should focus on the numbers on the bar going up instead of the scale going down, but I think both ideas are false. Numbers on a scale are used to define physical beauty in terms of size and possibly shape. Numbers on the bar define beauty in terms of strength and muscles. But when one of those numbers doesn't do what we want, we can still be let down and struggle. Or we look at our fellow CrossFitter and say, "I wish I had her/his arms/shoulders/abs or could squat/snatch/do pull-ups like (insert name of CrossFit/Box idol). Why we are drawn to being beautiful, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because we are made in the image of God and God loves beautiful things (c'mon, have you seen a sunset? The mountains? sunrise? dew on a rose? calm after a storm? child's smile? etc...) We are looking to those numbers for identity and security and for me, as a Christian, that should only come in Christ. For me, I'm going to start trying to keep my focus on that and just having fun with CrossFit and using it as a way to honor His temple (1Corinthians 6:19). Below are the words of a song a wrote trying to focus on who I am in Christ. If I can figure out a way to upload a sound recording, I will.
"I've turned away and said, how can it be,
That you could love a sinner like me?
I try to clothe myself in righteous rags.
You take me by the hand...
And say
All glorious is the princess in her chamber [Psalm 45:13]
I rejoice over you, like one lost sheep [Luke 15:1-7]
I sent my Son to bridge the gap between us.
My love has set you free,
Come and find your rest in me.
Father, please forgive me.
I have knocked you off your throne.
You have said that I'm your child.
I denied it--not with what I've done
And You say
I have made you a chosen people [1Peter 2:9]
I have made you my heir [Romans 8:17]
I sent my Son to bridge the gap between us.
My love has set you free,
Come and find your rest in me.
How many times do I just turn away?
How many times do I say I'm not clean enough?
Still you come and you whisper to me,
'My truth will set you free.'
I sing over you every day [Zephaniah 3:17]
I have clothed you in white [Isaiah 61:10]
I sent my Son to bridge the gap between us.
My love has set you free,
You are a royal priesthood [1Peter 2:9]
You are my child [Galatians 3:26]
I have made you my family.
No matter what you do, you are mine [Romans 8:38-39]"
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