When I was a coach, one of the hardest things was getting my athletes to understand that improvement took place in the off-season. I would always get the same song and dance about their working hard during the season and needing the time off. Let me tell you something. Work ethic is a big deal to a coach. Athletes who put in the work are always better off in the end.

In Proverbs 10, Solomon teaches us about a wise young man. (And you could easily substitute a young woman in his place.) He/she worked hard all summer and did not waste time being lazy or playing too many video games. Okay, that's my version of the story. But the young people in Solomon's day made the most of their time and efforts. There are so many distractions now that getting a young athlete to understand how improving in their sport takes year-round effort is a tough task for coaches. It does my heart good to drive home from work and see young people shooting baskets, playing catch, jogging or even riding bikes. At least they are doing something other than sitting inside all day and doing nothing. (Collective "amen" from the parents out there.)

Solomon did not say that hard work was a 24/7 thing, but it does take effort. Whatever your work may be--a summer job or your sport--WORK at it. Spend time working on the things you struggle with as an athlete so that when your season rolls around again, you will be able to show your coaches that your summer was not wasted.

This concept also applies to our walk with Christ. We must constantly strive to grow closer to Him. We must spend time getting to know Him better, not waste our time on other useless pursuits. I heard a promising high school quarterback say recently, "If kids our age would spend as much time reading the Bible as they do on video games, what kind of world would we have today?" Interesting thought. Now what will you do about it?