1 Timothy 3:14-17

“… Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

 3:59:40. What is the significance? The time refers to the “Perfect Mile” by Roger Bannister who broke the barrier of the four-minute mile by doing what no man had ever done before. He ran the mile in less than four minutes. Once Bannister broke the barrier, runner after runner followed his example

On a zoom call last week, my coworkers were discussing the current world record for the fastest mile. Today it is somewhere around 3:43, but Bannister led the way. What, then, was Bannister’s secret? Tim Noakes writes, ” I think success came first to him because he, better than anyone, perceived that the battle for the 4-minute mile was fought in the mind, not in the body.”

In the passage above, Paul describes the secret of discipline. Starting is necessary, but finishing reaches the goal. We are to continue applying what we have learned from Scripture and our teachers. In Timothy’s life, his mother and grandmother were instrumental in his life as they pointed him to the teachings of Scripture.

Like Bannister, I think the battle begins in our mind, in our determination to pursue Christ. Then, I think it comes down to two primary questions of discipleship – Am I becoming more like Christ as one of His disciples? and – Am I helping others become mature in their relationship with the Savior?

What barriers are you committed to overcoming?