March 28, 2015

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” 1 Corinthians 9:24

“...If you believe that G*d is about your path, and (spies) out all your ways, then take care not to do the least thing, not to speak the least word, not to indulge the least thought, which you have reason to think would offend…Suppose that a messenger of G*d, an angel, to be now standing at your right hand, and fixing his eyes upon you, would you not take care to abstain from every word or action that you knew would offend him? How much more ought you to be, when you know, that not only a holy man, not an angel for G*d, but G*d himself, the Holy One…is inspecting your heart, your tongue, your hand, every moment!” John Wesley (1703 – 1791) “For All The Saints” volume I (p. 913-914)

There’s an old Jerry Seinfeld comedy routine where he says: “When we watch the Olympics, and we see the people who win medals, you have to feel bad for the person who comes in second. The person who comes in third can think “Well at least I got something.” The person who wins can say “Hey, I won the race”. But the person who comes in second must be receiving the second place medal thinking “Great, I….. almost won.” Some people joke that coming in second is like “kissing your sister”. Paul is comparing our race with life and faith as “a race where we are competing for a prize”, but not second, or third, or fourth, or even last place. John Wesley is saying that in life and faith, we should not settle for just doing the least….like “At least I go to church on Easter”, or “At least I give a dollar in the offering plate”.

If our faith life means anything to us, we tell others how important it is by how we approach it. One of the interesting changes I have noticed in how we award medals in sports are the “participation trophy” and the “last place trophy”. In many youth sports like baseball and soccer, we give trophies to children just for participating in a sport. And, some golf tournaments I have played in give a trophy for the last place team. I believe in a G*d that will welcome even the believer who comes in last place – but I do not believe that G*d wants a relationship with us where we run the race of faith hoping to get the last place trophy – or the participation trophy. G*d is waiting for us to run the race of faith to win it – putting everything, our whole selves into it. We all will not approach the race of faith with the same skill set, or the same energy level, or even the same training. But, we all can run the race of faith with determination to do all we can with the gifts G*d has gifted us.

Pastor Dave