Downhill from Here<\/p>\n
Jean-Claude Killy, the French ski champion, did more than work hard\u00a0at his sport.<\/p>\n
When he made his nation’s ski team in the early 1960s, he was\u00a0determined to be the best. He decided vigorous training was the key.\u00a0Up at dawn each day, he ran up mountains with his skis on – a very\u00a0painful activity. Weight training, sprinting…Killy was determined\u00a0to do whatever it took to reach peak physical condition.<\/p>\n
Other team members were working just as hard, and in the end it was a\u00a0change in style, not conditioning, that set Killy apart.<\/p>\n
The goal in ski racing is to ski down a prescribed mountain course\u00a0faster than anyone else. Killy began experimenting to see if he could\u00a0pare any seconds off his time. He found that if he skied with his\u00a0legs apart, he had better balance. He also found that if he sat back\u00a0on his skis when executing a turn, instead of leaning forward as was\u00a0customary, he had better control, which also resulted in faster\u00a0times. Rather than regarding his ski poles as an accessory for\u00a0balance, Killy tried using them to propel him forward.<\/p>\n
Killy’s style was unorthodox. But when he won most of the major ski\u00a0events in 1966 and 1967, including 3 gold medals at the Winter\u00a0Olympics, skiers around the world took notice. Today, the Killy style\u00a0is norm among downhill and slalom racers. Any other “style” would be\u00a0considered odd.<\/p>\n
As Christians we are not called to conform to the world’s standards,\u00a0but to God’s standards. Our lifestyle should challenge people to come\u00a0to Jesus Christ and live according to His higher ways and purposes.\u00a0The Christian “style” may seem odd to the unbeliever, but in the end,\u00a0it is the style that will previal!<\/p>\n
Don’t be afraid to be a little “unusual” today in the eyes of those\u00a0who observe you. Your example may help win them over to a\u00a0championship lifestyle.<\/p>\n
This devotion is from “Breakfast with God.”<\/em><\/p>\n