I'm in my fourth and final week of the "Fat Farm" workout class here at WBC.  At least, that's what we used to call it years ago.  Nowadays that's not too PC, so we call it "Fitness Boot Camp."  'Course that's probably an insult to the men and women in uniform who go through a REAL boot camp in order to protect our country.  So I'll just call it four weeks of the most intensive, grueling workouts I've ever done.

Make no mistake--I'm no athlete.  Years ago the coach would tell me, 'Poland, you're a double threat--you're both short AND slow!"  I've never been in great shape, although I certainly weighed less in school than I do now.  But I'm not obese, and I thought, "How hard can it be?" 

Are you familiar with the Bataan Death March?

Here's the results after 3 weeks of suicides, skullcrushers, squats, thrusts, and enough crunches for a forklift full of cereal--

I've lost maybe 4-5 pounds.  But my pants definitely fit looser.  I no longer have to inhale all the air out of the room just to get 'em zipped up.  So, the work has been good.  After the first 20 minutes of the first day, I wanted to quit, but I've stuck with it.  And I like the results.  So will I stay with it?

Not on your life.

At least I'm honest about it.  Truth is, it hurts.  It's tough.  I don't like exercising at 5:30 in the morning.  OK, I don't like exercising anytime of day.  It costs me comfort & is an affront to my laziness.  It would be easier to simply throw stones at the fitness program; i.e. "It's too hard" or "It's unrealistic" or "I don't like the program, the instructor, etc."  (Truth is, we've had a fine instructor who has patiently worked with us.)

OK, in the words of my favorite TV detective, "Monk," here's what happened . . .

I kept going to the fitness class because of positive peer pressure.  I didn't want to have to face my collegues around the office and wear the shame of sleeping in while they were working hard.  And once I was there, I worked hard because I didn't want to look like a slacker or "whimpy." 

Don't get me wrong--I'll try to exercise at home after this week.  And I'll probably stay with it, for at least a couple more weeks.  But long term, I need someone else to push me, to encourage me, to spur me on.  Or I'll slip right back into my bad habits of Blue Bell Ice Cream and a remote control. 

I think a lot of people view the church the same way.  "I don't need what they offer" . . . "It's full of hypocrites" . . . "It's unrealistic" . . . "Too hard." 

I'll admit, loving people is hard work.  Even harder than the exercise class.  That's why I need to stay in the church.  My tendency would be to pull back and hang with people that are just like me.  Of course, after awhile I'd find something wrong with them, too.

But in the church, I find people who provide positive peer pressure, who spur me on, who encourage me, who patiently let me build spiritual muscle.  And I also find people that are hard to love.  Maybe the two are destined to go together.  Especially when I consider that I'm bound to be on someone else's list as "hard to love." 

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."  (Hebrews 10:24-25)

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Hey, my latest book is out.  Intentional Walk:  More Devotions for Baseball Fans should be hitting the stores right now.  If you want one from me, you can purchase it in the CAM office from Jeri ($12) or order it through my website www.hughpoland.com  (but you'll have to pay shipping).