Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
Tonight is a huge night in the world of hockey. The Pittsburgh Penguins will host the Tampa Bay Lightning in game seven of the NHL's Eastern Conference Finals to decide who will play the San Jose Sharks for the right to hoist the Stanley Cup. If you're as big of a sports fan as I am, you understand when I say that there's no bigger part of the sports year as far as I'm concerned.
If you try to convince me that there is any more prestigious trophy in sports than the Stanley Cup, you might as well try to argue with a brick wall. I can tell you right now that there will be no sale. There are several reasons for that. First, it's no ordinary trophy, but it's nearly three feet tall and is made up of 35 pounds of silver. Second, it has a history that no other trophy can come close to competing with. If you don't believe me, a quick Google search will reveal some of its bizarre experiences. Third, the winners have their names engraved into the rings on the Cup's base, literally etching them into the history of the sport. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, it's unique. There's only one Stanley Cup, meaning that no team has a case full of them, including the 24-time Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens.
Well, perhaps a bit of an asterisk should be attached to that last point. While it's technically not incorrect to say that the Cup is unique since the same trophy is awarded year after year, there are, in reality, three Stanley Cups. Obviously, the original 1892 Cup is one. The "Replica Cup," which was made in 1993 is another. Its purpose is common sense. When the "real" Stanley Cup is on official business, the Toronto-based Hockey Hall of Fame displays this version so that fans can still interact with the prized trophy. However, for the purposes of this post, the third version, 1963's "Presentation Cup" is likely the most relevant.
It was in 1963 that NHL President Clarence Campbell commissioned the creation of a new Stanley Cup because he was afraid that the original had become too fragile to stand up to the rigors the trophy was subjected to. If you made that Google search I suggested earlier, you won't have to wonder why. Again, the decision was one based on common sense. If you have as prized of a relic as the Stanley Cup, you naturally want to take care to preserve it. Since its retirement, the Original Cup has been on display in the Vault Room of the Hall of Fame.
In the story of the Stanley Cup, we find that the most timeless of trophies still fall victim to time. Nothing lasts forever. Everything in this world eventually fades away. As the hymn "Abide with Me" says, "change and decay in all around I see." Eventually, this old world itself will burn up, and everything in it will be gone.
I'm not going to tell you that there is no value in some temporal things. I do some work as a high school sports photojournalist, and personally, I think there's a great deal of value in the athletic pursuits those kids I cover take part in because of the character building that can take place. Still, it doesn't last forever. In 100 years, I and the vast majority of them will have long been forgotten for our involvement, proving that point. What then, can we do to establish something that will last forever?
There's only one answer to that question. It is to live a life of service to God. The Apostle Paul used multiple sporting analogies in his epistles to illustrate the importance of perseverance in God's work, but he also pointed out that the glories offered by those sports were temporary. The crown won by ancient Olympians faded away, just as the original Stanley Cup weakened. However, a life lived in service to Jesus Christ will be rewarded with an eternal crown that will survive eternity. It will be something that we can cast at the feet of Jesus in thanksgiving for what He's done for us and be an everlasting reminder.
Ask any hockey fan, and they'll tell you that the Stanley Cup is special. I'm a hockey fan, and I think so. Still, even its grandeur and the glory it bestows upon those that win it are nothing when compared to an eternal reward granted by God Almighty. What kind of trophy are you working for? Is it temporary or permanent?
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