We need to remember that every person begins life at ground zero. No matter the generation into which the babe is born there is no hunching life’s starting line. Socrates, Einstein, Johnny, even Jesus had to learn for self that 2 plus 2 equals 4, and 2 pencils plus 2 chairs does not equal four-of-a-kind. (Luke 2:52) Einstein got to E=mc2 after learning the 2+2 equation, while Johnny was still struggling with the meaning of 3.1416 (Pi). As one runner has longer legs and better coordination than the lad next to him will arrive at the agreed upon finish line at different times so the gifts of our lives, the coaching, the application, the practice, and the will may mean the shorter fellow beats the others to the line. I saw Gil Dodds break the world indoor mile record in Chicago in the 1940s. He looked like the runner least suited among his fellows that day. He was shorter, thicker in thigh flesh, somewhat shy, but prepared to win. In my personal relationship with him, I learned of his faith, his family, his coach, and the secret of self-commitments. He was a winner crediting others, especially Jesus Christ, for his accomplishments. His achievements were his own in following the counsel of those who sensed the potential he held within himself.
Nearly all of us are afforded opportunity to begin our own life race. The competition is within ourselves relative to becoming what God would have us be. I remember from my days in San Francisco, the front page news of the death of a man, a garbage collector, who by his effectiveness on his job and relationship with people had become something of a celebrity. The same reporting appeared for a celebrated waiter who lived to be a hundred years of age, ending up greeting people when he could no longer balance plates. God and society are interested in what we become in relationship to others, and to our ideals. That applies to our families in the front row of our lives. Even with her idiosyncrasies, mother becomes an effective mom. Even with his distractions from his work, father becomes a good dad. The pattern is possible for persons attentive to the same things as Jesus, and sound theory suggests for us. I wanted to be an effective Christian, husband, father, professor, preacher, friend, citizen. These are similar factors others want to be in their own contexts of life – and that not related to wealth, or more than standard talents, or power, or privilege, or celebrity. They are the areas of God’s evaluation of us, and his assistance in performance to success. God’s definition of success is somewhat different than that of the general public.
The Christian, when gaining balance between natural and divine life to fulfill both natural and divine dimensions properly without violating either, gains the holistic life found demonstrated in Jesus. To the point, Christ made clear that he had to follow the DNA of the fatherhood of God for all persons. By the Holy Spirit he could be as present, as indwelling of every Christian, as every child is indwelt by each parent. That indwelling offers to the free person direction for decision and action. The person has choice, even some resources to achieve purpose. Instructions are available in Scripture, and there are models to encourage possibilities both for affirmations and negations. Experience is often convincing. Everyone begins at the same point in the upcoming race, running against their own possible performances. They are challenged to join their best person. Everyone runs their own race either well or poorly given what is available. Each ought to run to win, and that can be done – win. We have within us the possibility of coming in second, third, last. Our duty is to choose which it will be and to pay the price for the finish level we select. Each level requires some human cost. Each level, except winner status, inherits some natural loss. It takes some doing to gain the highest award. It turns out to be the best bargain. The open secret is to follow the counsel of Scripture, made effective with the aid of the Holy Spirit and those who have gone on before leaving the proof legacies of Christian experience. Our competition works within us. The Lee version of the above text: Under God, I run my race not stumbling – competing against my own inner participants. I fight real battles, not merely shadow boxing. I seek self-control so not to lose, but to be a model of a follower of Jesus Christ – the winner who can also win in me. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020