Articles
Running the race
This summer I happened to be watching the Olympics. A men’s qualifying race came on.
When the race started, the top pick was holding about even with two others. The favorite seemed
to drop back and the commentators speculated that the runner was saving his strength for the
final, and just wanted to come in at least third to qualify. A Frenchman came up on the outside
and the commentators started going wild as the race was about to end. They were talking loudly
about the favorite not seeing the Frenchman on his outside. The favorite came in fourth and did
not qualify for the final. The one that everyone knew was going to win gold didn’t even get to
compete in the race for medals.
In the interview after the race the runner admitted he was trying to save his strength and
had not seen the Frenchman at all. In fact, as the race ended he thought he had qualified and it
was not until the results were shown on the board that he realized he had come in fourth. When
asked what happened, the runner replied “I just didn’t run my best like I should have. This was a
once in a lifetime chance and I should have run my best instead of holding back.”
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in
such a way as to get the prize. 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 9:24 - 25). In our Christian life how many of us are just coasting along hoping that
we just make it ? We want to do just good enough to make it in the door. We may be in the race,
but are we running to win? Are you truly living each day for Christ? ~B. Tolbert
