“As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” – 1 Peter 4:10
Boxing, the sweet science is a brutal sport that requires the highest standards of athleticism. To fight, one must be able to withstand a tremendous amount of punishment to the body, while at the same time be willing to brutalize their opponent to the point of knocking them out of the match. Boxing is an intensely vicious sport.
Boxers are not always as vicious outside of the ring as they are inside the ring. In fact many of them have used the platform of boxing to better the lives of others. Manny Pacquiao is a great example of a boxer who has excelled in the ring and in life. Pacquiao is a professional boxer from the Philippines. He has become one of the most well-known and celebrated boxers of recent times. He has 58 wins and 6 losses. He hold several titles, most notably, World Champion. His boxing career has made him a multi-millionaire and one of the highest paid athletes of all time.
Recently Manny Pacquiao decided to turn his attention from the boxing ring to his home in the Philippines. He has recently funded the building of 1,000 homes for people in need. On social media he posted a scripture from1 Peter, “As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…”
Manny Pacquiao realizes that his gift in the boxing ring helped him accomplish more than almost any other boxer has ever accomplished. He also realized that his gift needed to be used beyond the field of competition. What a gift he has given to 1,000 families: the gift of a home. This gift changes the game for these families and makes Manny Pacquiao a champion in the game of life. When we offer our “Varied grace,” our gifts we all have, we can make a difference in the lives of others around us.
Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
