FOODFORTHOUGHT

HOW ARE YOU RUNNING YOUR RACE?

Growing up in his native India, author Ravi Zacharias used to participate in a strange event on community sports days.

It's called the slow cycling race.

The goal of the race is not to take off as soon as the gun sounds, but to move as slowly as possible.  In fact, it's best if you can remain completely still on your bicycle, your feet never touching the ground.

The goal of the race is to come in dead last.

Some competitors are so adept at remaining stationary that the distance of the race is only a few yards.

Imagine a visiting cycling champion from another culture standing there before the gun sounds.

He sees the riders hop onto their bikes and thinks, "I wish I could be in this race so I could teach these beginners a few things about cycling."  If he's offered the opportunity, imagine his surprise at what happens next.

At the pop of the starting pistol he speeds off and breaks through the tape first, only to look back and notice that the rest of the cyclists are still at the starting line trying to balance their motionless bikes.

Imagine his astonishment that he has finished last, even though he crossed the line first.

It pays to know the purpose of a race before we try to win it. 

It pays to know how we should define a rich and meaningful life before we speed off, assuming we're winning, when in fact we can't even state what kind of life God has actually called us to.

He who dies with the most toys wins.

Money is life's scorekeeper.

If I just made $10,000 more, I know I'd be happy.

There's no shortage of bankrupt philosophies in the world.  Some of life's most famous "winners" are convinced they have outsmarted, outhustled, and outmaneuvered everyone they know.

Jesus offers this warning:  "The last will be first, and the first will be last."  (Matthew 20:16)

It pays to learn how God defines the Good Life.

That will certainly help us keep our balance in whatever slow race he's set before us this day.

-- Authored by Glenn McDonald

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