“Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 MSG)
A few weeks before Christmas, I ran a long distance race in Florida. As we were waiting to start, I saw several people dressed in Santa costumes. A young woman near me had quite an elaborate costume: red leggings with candy-cane socks, fur-trimmed, red tunic top, black belt, and a head band with mistletoe extending out in front of her face. She had obviously put a lot of thought and time into creating this outfit. Runners in costumes always garner a lot of attention at races--people love to pose for pictures with them. However, many of these outfits are not practical in the long run. During that race in Florida, the temperature got uncomfortably high. Many of us were taking off layers as we progressed through the miles. Santa-girl ran beside me for several miles, her mistletoe head bopper bouncing prettily with each step. Before long, she fell behind. After I finished the race, I saw her in the parking lot; her costume was still intact. I wondered whether she finished the race, or just quit.
Faith is not a leisurely vacation away from reality; it is an endurance race with purpose. We may create elaborate disguises that garner attention and admiration from the crowd around us: relationships that come with influence and power, achievements that result in recognition, acquisitions that bring delight, enterprises that earn us praise. It is natural to become quite attached to habits that make us popular. However, these unnecessary layers can slow us down. We have to be willing to throw off anything that entangles, constricts, or impedes our progress. Otherwise, we won’t be able to keep up with the One who leads us.
What is your goal? What do you seek? What habits are slowing you down?
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