Winning The Race

This morning as I was indulging in my personal Bible study time, I was led to the first couple of verses in Hebrews, chapter twelve.  These two verses have been a mainstay to me over the last few months.  They make some statements that got me thinking some more about yesterday’s subject of planning for the future.  While planning is very important, it is only the first (and maybe the easiest) step in seeing your expectations met in the way you desire.  After the planning comes the doing!  For most of us, this next phase starts out with great anticipation of victory, only to get bogged down when some sort of adversity comes up.  This is precisely the point that my scripture in Hebrews addressed today.  It starts out by telling the reader to run the race (of life) that is set before us with patience.  The word patience that is translated from the original Greek infers “the characteristic of a person who is not swerved from his or her deliberate purpose… by even the greatest trials and sufferings.” (Thayer’s Greek Definitions).  For us that would mean to keep our eyes on the expected results that we have set forth and to not deviate when distractions present themselves as we are pursuing our plans for the new year. 

The scripture likens this process to a runner participating in a track race.  It is very important to the runner during the race to focus their eyes on the finish line and not to look around or back at the other racers.  Any distraction, no matter how small, can cause the participant the loss of a few seconds and could mean the difference as to the place they finish in the race.  This brings me to the remembrance of my illustrious track career in junior high.  

During my seventh and eight grade years I participated (with less than spectacular results…) in field events as I had been encouraged to throw the shot-put by my gym coaches and my Dad.  As the season approached for my last year in junior high, I made a decision to follow my heart and to train for the 220 yard sprint, as well as become a member of the 440 relay team.  As the season progressed, I would consistently come in fourth place, behind one of my teammates. Although I was disappointed, I did not give up but decided to work even harder in practice.  I can recall spending many long hours after school repeatedly running a 220 and then walking one.  Then came the magical time (at least to me!) where I actually beat my teammate, came in third place and received my first letter point.  (In order to receive a sports letter – the one you can wear on a jacket or sweater – you have to earn a certain number of points which were determined by the place you finished a race in.) 

At the next track meet as we were preparing to line up for the race, the race director called out our school name and said for our best runner to line up in the lane where he was standing.  When I glanced over to my teammate, he pointed to me and told the director that I was the one to go to that position!  It was then that I knew that all my determination and hard work had paid off.  While I do not remember how I finished in that particular meet, I did learn a lesson that has stuck with me for life.  While all odds said that I would never be a fast runner and be able to compete successfully in competition, I made the decision to ignore what the situation seemingly was saying, worked hard and kept my eyes on the final goal.  At the end of the season, I did not earn enough points to receive a letter, but was happily surprised when our track coach called me up in front of the entire school at the end of the year awards presentations and gave me a letter for being the most improved member of the track team as well as a record holder for the 220 run for our school!  The only bummer was that this occurred during the last week of the school year, so I never did get to wear a letter sweater around school!  (Ah… the dream of any young man…)  Oh, by the way, I was a record holder simply because it was the first year they ran the 220 in my weight class, so my best time had to be the record!  The next year it was totally shattered by another student at the school…

So what’s my point?  As you are making plans for 2011, dream big, trust in your foundation and be prepared to stay focused on your expected results.  Know that distractions and bumps in the road will occur, but be determined to run your race and to attain the prize (your letter!).  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”