Doing, Not Looking

I was running a good race. I was at the mile marker and only needed to stop and walk for a few seconds at a time. I was in a groove. My time for this race would be amazing. Usually, I just try to improve my own personal time. When we started, an older man with a cane went running by me. He was holding the cane as he shuffled by me. I thought well now that’s unique. Why even have a cane if you don’t need it? Then I thought WAIT, HOLD THE PHONE no guy with a cane is running faster than me. Nope! Not happening. So I stayed close and passed him. As we neared the one-mile marker, the older man ran by me again. But this time, he was struggling and scuffing his feet as he ran. He ran a little further and fell into a deep ditch and just sat there stunned. At that moment, I was faced with a dilemma. I could keep running and hopefully win a prize, OR I could stop and help the older gentleman to his feet and lose all the momentum that I had achieved. For me, it was not even a question. Of course, I would stop and lend my aid to a fellow runner. With a little help, I, puddin’ muscles, got him out of the ditch and running again. This time, I deliberately stayed behind him. As we turned a corner, the older runner stumbled again and skidded on the pavement. It took a bit, and as we once again we got him on his feet, I said something like maybe we should walk for a bit because I am tired. I wasn’t tired, but I could not stand to see him fall again. As we walked, I thought about how often in our Christian life we, become so concerned with looking good, that we forget WHY we are running. In our Christian life, helping and loving others is critical. It’s WHY we even run a race as a Christian. For that run, it was more important that I help my brother in need than that I finish with my best time ever. There will be other races, but I may not get another opportunity to serve that man in the way I did that day. I am eternally grateful that God gave me the opportunity to serve while running. He reminded me that doing good, not looking good is what is important. I wonder how often I have neglected the critical things in life because I wanted to look like a good Christian?

Comments

Live Fearlessly

As I was driving home today, I passed a person walking on the side of the road. Since it was cold, and snowy, I thought I should stop and offer the person a ride. As I drove on by, I was irritated with myself for not stopping. I could have and should have but I didn't. Why? I was scared! Maybe that wouldn't bother you, but I'm willing to bet there are things that make you afraid. It may be snakes or spiders that send the ticker into overdrive. Or maybe it's your job and finances that keep you up at night when you should be resting. Then again perhaps it's relationships that consume your thoughts and energy. As followers of God, we know that we are told not to be afraid. Yet we often are afraid despite everything we know. As I was driving away from a missed opportunity, I began thinking about what it is that makes us afraid. I honestly am not sure what it is that causes us to be afraid when we should be bold, but I

Tragedy: A Christian Response

I want to start by telling you a story. We were new parents. When Our oldest, a son, was about eighteen to twenty months we had another baby, a girl with brown hair and huge eyes. One day as I went to feed her, my son who may have been two at the time wandered off to another part of the house. The next thing I heard was a thud. I grabbed my baby girl and ran to see what happened. There was my son with a table on top of him. He had pulled it over on himself and more blood than I had ever seen was running all over. We put him in the car and dashed for the ER. It was not a fun trip. He had a skull fracture and many stitches. Fast forward about fourteen or fifteen years, I’m at a stop light and watch my youngest daughter about ten start across a street on a bike start across a street just as a truck comes around a corner into the path of the bike. She hit the side of the truck and bounced onto the road. I grabbed her up and checked her over there were no injuries, but

The God of Order

Yesterday, my children and I went walking on a bike trail. The weather was perfect. Sunny, warm but not hot. As we were walking, we started to talk about creation. Creation itself always amazes me. Can you imagine watching creation unfold at the word of the Almighty? It would be the most glorious and lovely thing to see. As we were talking, I asked, “What do you think would have happed if God had created people first?” They stopped gave me a questioning look then my daughter said, “I suppose that we would have starved because there was no food.” And we all had a laugh creating other scenarios for what might have happened if creation had happened in any other way. Yet, the fact is that creation itself demonstrates that God is a God of order. Each day of creation built on what had been done the day before. It also reminds me that God wants our lives to be as orderly as possible. God planned creation before one word was spoken

Inspirations

Search This Blog