“The Great Race”

Frank Bell

            As I stood there on the side of the road yelling out the times for the runners, I could see that the first ones didn’t need as much cheering on as those who came later. I could see in the distance one poor tuckered out soul slowing down. “You can do it, you can make it,” I yelled out. Their pace quickened and they seemed to be able to push on a little further. You could tell they were tiring and the race was taking its toll on them. “Pace yourself,” I yelled. I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant but they seemed to stride forward a little more confidant. As the racers came near the finish line you could see the pain on some of their faces but they ignored it because they saw their destination ahead. They didn’t look back or side to side but straight ahead. People stood at the finish line and cheered the runners on. Smiles spread across our faces as the last ones in the race crossed the finish line. What a wonderful feeling to cheer on those in the race.

Everyday we are in a race for heaven. We should be cheering those on that are struggling in the race. “You can do it, you can make it,” should be what we are yelling to them as they strive along. But what we end up saying is “What a problem you are to those around us. Look at yourself, if I couldn’t do any better than that I would just quit.” Many times that is just what they do because they feel no one cares enough to give them a kind word of encouragement. When the race is over I would hope that we all would be standing with Jesus at the finish line on the Day of Judgment cheering on our brothers and sisters in Christ. But if we don’t cheer them on now, they won’t hear us when we are gone. Even the rich man wanted to send Lazarus back to tell his brothers to straighten up their act but Moses said that if they wouldn’t listen to the law and the prophets they would not listen to a dead man. Give someone struggling an encouraging word to help them in the race. What is important is not who finishes first but who finishes.