The New Testament mentions “running the race” but not in the sense of competition and certainly not living the Christian life being about “winning” against our sisters and brothers in Christ. Read that again please.
I suggest to you the best race is one we run against ourselves or rather for the Lord’s revealed will within ourselves to be done in terms of personal spiritual growth, bettering our own attitudes, patience and pace. As any athlete knows it’s all about training not mere performance when the “GO!” means “Now!”.
Incidentally, runners in actual races have lost paying too close attention to others in the race. It’s a novice mistake.
Sadly, many are so focused on performance the love of God for them and theirs toward God and neighbor gets lost in trying to “win” against others even in the churches.
Training gets put aside and the focus is so on lesser and even side-track/bunny trail matters we mess up -stagnate or even lose (spiritual, practical) muscle tone and fitness due to our motivation no longer being love or growing in our own progress. If we fall into such habits we won’t be paying appropriate attention to our own race and the very path in front of us in the process of looking at those around us seeking to somehow “win” as though in a spiritual competition with them.
How many arguments and splits have come from such motives?
Note: people become a distraction because we have mentally/emotionally made them so!
“By love… serve one another” NOT by competing, try to “one-up” one another!
What a waste. This is one of the tragic miss-steps in a Christian’s life if not given proper attention.
The key and antidote is having our eyes fixed on Jesus and our own walk rather than measuring ourselves by those around us.
As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn
glennkaiser.com 