Pastor Mike Plunket camps in 1 Corinthians 9:23 to teach us a powerful symbolism: what’s the difference between a McDonalds paper cup, and an old-style, steel milkshake cup? The former starts leaking rapidly, while the latter can contain. When the love of Jesus transforms your heart, self-control permeates your personality and all aspects of your life, and you become like the metal cup, being able to contain the blessings of God, for your life and the lives of those around you. We learn in this message how life can be thought of as a race that we have to run; in it, we are not given control over the talents that equip us, nor the venue where the race is run, but we all are given the option to see who is at the end of the race rooting for us: Jesus, who already ran the race and won it. His crown is you. He took the crown you deserved, a crown of thorns, and exchanged it for the crown of life. You are free to focus on the Lord, and run the race.