Nine-year-old Casey Stokes, like his namesake, loves baseball. Already it’s taught him the rewards of hard work. Casey’s team was headed for the Little League World Series when his aunt asked him a question.

She said, “Casey, if you were building a team and you had to choose between a talented player who worked hard sometimes and an average player who always worked hard, who would you choose?”

Casey hardly paused. He said, “The average player—because champions are made in practice.”

This is Howard Butt Jr. of Laity Lodge. This nine-year-old has already scored with an all-important life lesson: champions are made in practice … in the high calling of our daily work.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”— 1 Corinthians 9:25