Mother Mary Smith fought a good fight!
2 Tim 4:7-8 (NIV)
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
I think what I like most about this passage is that there two sport or athletic metaphors making the same point. Fighting a fight and finishing a race – both conjure up imaginary of bringing the best of who you are to what you do for Christ. In other words, play hard or go home.
The faithfulness of Mother Smith through out the years she served, over 40 years at the Morning Star Church was nothing shy of phenomenal.
In prayer, she fought the powers and spiritual wickedness that sought to destroy the work of the Lord that she and her husband was assigned.
She didn’t stop in her service. She kept going even after her husband went on to his eternal reward. She did not leave Morning Star. She did not stop working in the church and the council. She continued to run her race until it was over. She was not a quitter!
And, in the passage, the Apostle Paul says, I have kept the faith! And, Mother Mary Smith kept the faith!
Throughout her time as matriarch of the church, she kept the faith! Through the loss of her husband, she kept the faith! Through the loss of her mother, she kept the faith! Through three years of sickness, she kept the faith!
She fought a good fight, she finished her race and she remained in faith!
8 Now there is in store for her the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to her on that day!