This week one of my hero’s celebrated his 65th birthday.
Muhammad Ali was 65 on Wednesday.
Great entertainer, great sportsman and who will ever forget the awesome sight of him climbing the steps of Olympia to light the Olympic Flame in 1996.
Ali has also said some interesting things over the years, and the BBC have set up an Ali quotes page.

I’ve been thinking a little about champions recently and was interested in this Ali quote:

Champions aren’t made in gyms, champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.

The will must be stronger than the skill.

Seems to me today that even in church circles, there are a lot of people who have the skill but not the will.
I meet people who could be ‘champions for Christ’, running the race before them … they have all they need, but they lack the will, the desire is great but it seems to be far outweighed in their minds by the cost. They want the privilege and excitement of ministry, but are not willing to pay the cost, live in the territory that comes along as part of that ministry.

On the other hand I meet different people. People who give up secure jobs to follow their dream, people who wonder where the next pay cheque is coming from even though they could get a good job in the city, people I cry with as they count the cost of what they are doing for God which does mean missing out, economising, being criticised, being taken for a ride … I could go on.

I think the latter group are champions.
They have the skill and the will.
But the will is stronger than the skill.