I am really challenged by this biblical passage, especially when I see it every Monday evening in the summer. It’s printed on the back of each matching Salem t-shirt, worn by the members of our softball team.

Keep alert. Stand firm. Be courageous. Be strong. That’s not just good advice for our team so they don’t miss any pop-fly balls or strike out at the plate. That is good advice for our every day lives as Christians.

God calls us to remain spiritually alert, by refusing to compromise with anything in our environment, and refraining to play with temptations that would make us less sensitive to spiritual things. Friends, for believers and ball players, it’s simply too easy to compromise at the edges of our lives where the danger lurks. We must continue to defend our faith with vigor, with loyalty, with courage, and with strength. Nothing lasting can possibly emerge if faith is treated with an easygoing, casual spirit.

So, we’ve been commanded by our Lord, just like a coach yelling at a base runner to stay where he is - watch out, keep your eyes open for trouble! For us, that means to hold tight to our convictions, behave maturely in the situations where we find ourselves, and be resolute in all that we do, with only this admonition to follow: that we let all that we do be done in love.

Let’s listen to the command to continue to press on because Christ has made us His own, living in courage that will never retreat, and exhibiting the love which will never fail. Let’s strive for a perfect record like our softball team, and remain undefeated!