As I was on a run the other day I began to think about what the people driving by might think of me. I know for me that when I am driving and see someone running strong I think, “Man look at that guy! I wish I had that speed!” And when I see someone who looks like they hate their life, and are running slowly I kind of judge them thinking, “Why don’t you try a little harder? Its not that difficult.”
A few minutes later I slowed down to a walk and started to think. I know I am a strong runner but sometimes I just want to walk, or sometimes I’ve run a few miles and am running slower than I was when I first started. But the people driving by only see me for a second, from that glimpse they have no idea if I just started running and am going strong, if I am in mile 20 and ready to fall over, or if I have been running hard and just wanted to walk for a bit. Isn’t that just like our spiritual lives though? Sometimes we run fast, sometimes we run slowly, and sometimes we are barely crawling along.
We do the same thing when we catch glimpses of people in their spiritual race as I do when I drive past a runner. When they are going strongly we think, “I wish I could run like that person, look at them go!” and when they are lagging and seem like they just cant get up to speed we sometimes think, “It really isn’t that difficult. Just try harder!”
Hebrews 12:1 says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (NIV)
Without deeply getting to know someone beyond that first glimpse we can’t really know why he or she are running like they are. Maybe that struggling person is a fast runner who just took a rock in the heel and needs encouragement, maybe they have been running so long their feet are blistered and torn and they need to be healed. Remember that you too have had times of running slowly and almost crawling. You too have felt the burning in your legs and just needed someone beside you to speak encouraging words. Instead of judging their race, come alongside them to encourage and help them in their race. Don’t just run past, feeling superior because you are still running strongly. Slow down and help. Because the next mile it could be you who suddenly gets a rock in your heel and needs help.
