Former Atlanta Braves’ pitcher Greg Maddux recently received induction into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. A couple of quotes during his acceptance speech indicate the kind of focused worth ethic that earned him the nickname “Mad Dog.” Referring to his daily approach to the game Maddux said

I never gave a thought to the Hall of Fame as I was going through my career. My goal as a baseball player was very simple: All I wanted to do was try to get better for my next start.

Greg played parts of his last two seasons with the San Diego Padres. Even after winning more than 300 games and 4 Cy Young Awards (as the top pitcher yearly in his league), at the end of his stellar career, Maddux related that his pitching coach in San Diego taught him how to throw a change-up a different way. Imagine that… a coach who had a modest career of his own at best teaching a hall of famer how to pitch. To hammer home an important life lesson, Maddux commented:

Just goes to show that you no matter how old you are, you’re still looking to get better.

Get better for my next start. Looking to get better. These two statements should typify a follower of Jesus. Am I doing all I can to walk more closely with Jesus today than I did yesterday? Am I intentionally pursuing Christlikeness on a daily basis? Do I realize how much I still have to grow and that I have not arrived at perfection?

How do we engage this constant growth process? The Word of God and prayer are the two tools God has given us for that purpose.

We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (HCSB)

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 (HCSB)

If a hall of famer like Greg Maddux recognized the key to success in his sport was intentional daily improvement, how much more should we see the eternal importance of daily getting better and growing closer to Jesus? Establish the habit of getting better every day by gazing into God’s Word and allowing Him to transform you through His Word’s power. You will find yourself one day in Jesus’ hall of fame of disciples.

Greg Maddux speech quotes courtesy of Chicago Tribune online.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-greg-maddux-speech-20140727-story.html#page=1