There is a special kind of shame that only grown-up humans are capable of feeling. It’s the kind of shame you feel when you realize you’re singing along to Justin Bieber song. I felt this kind of shame today when I was moved by something said by a personal trainer on an infomercial as I was flipping through tv channels.

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

She yelled it at a class full of people sweating on stationary bikes. I instinctively scoffed, but those words bounced around my head even after I’d changed the station.

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

I can’t believe I’d never thought of that before. And it took someone in spandex trying to sell me something to get into my head. Shame!

I’ve always figured: life comes packaged with challenges, why bother seeking them out? But I’ve known people that embrace the concept of exploring their limits.

I have a friend (hi Matt!) who recently participated in the Toughest Mudder. I suspect this event was founded by a sadistic psychopath. A “Tough Mudder” race involves running a few miles and overcoming obstacles such as ice baths, mud tunnels, and ELECTRIC SHOCKS. For those that qualify, the Toughest Mudder is a challenge to see how many times you can complete a Tough Mudder course in 24 straight hours. And probably worst of all, it was held in New Jersey.

Matt trained in extreme conditions and did very well in the competition, but I have trouble understanding why someone would put themselves through such struggle..

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

Oh, right. Crap.

Sometimes pushing ourselves to attain more than we (think we) can is about the process, not about success or failure.  So I’ve decided for 2014 I am going to do a spiritual Toughest Mudder. I’m going to attempt to the impossible… to be like Christ.

Oh I absolutely will fail. That’s not in question, but I’m looking for the challenge to change me. Now in order to train for it I’ll have to familiarize myself with Christ’s words which means a lot of book reading which I swore off once I graduated college. Ok, fine but there’s one thing that I know I’ll have a problem with…

Love.

Love is my response to the world.

Not fake smiles because I’ve been told to love.

Not love for the people that I find easy to love.

Love your neighbor.

Love celebrities.

Love people in other countries who talk funny.

Love that jackass who cut me off in traffic.

There’s no chance I make it past my drive home from the New Years Eve party without messing up. But God help me… I am going to attempt to follow in the footsteps of a man who walked on water.

Thanks for reading this.

I love you. Really.