Run Your Own Race
I like to watch the Indianapolis 500 on television. Those race cars are incredibly sleek. They're low to the ground and extremely aerodynamic. They have huge engines that can go 200 mph on a straightaway and take a curve at 100 mph. They're fast and precise. But in spite of all these strengths, do you know they have weaknesses? They can only hold one person. They're not that comfortable. On the inside, it's all metal and equipment. No air-conditioning. No luxury. Why is that? It's designed for a specific purpose - to be the best in the field that it's in.
At home, Victoria and I have an SUV. It can easily hold eight people. It has a large trunk area and storage for bikes and plenty of luggage. It sits up high off the ground and when you drive it, you feel like you're the king of the road. But if you took that SUV and entered it into the Indianapolis 500, it wouldn't have a chance. It would get lapped again and again. You wouldn't even try to take a turn in that thing at 100 mph! There's no way it could handle that. What's the problem? It's competing in a race it was never designed to be in.
On the other hand, if you trade the SUV in for the Indy race car and bring it home for your everyday use, you would quickly find out that even though the race car gets a lot of attention, even though it has a lot of sizzle, you couldn't take your children to school in it. It's too small. It only holds one person. You couldn't really go to the grocery store. There's no place to put the groceries, no storage. You couldn't drive it on the freeway because it's so low to the ground and the suspension is so tight that if you hit a pothole, it would feel like an earthquake. In a few days you would be saying, "Can I get my SUV back?"
Here's my point: each car is designed for a specific purpose. The SUV isn't going to have a chance in the Indianapolis 500 and the race car is not going to do a lot of good on the city streets. They both have incredible strengths. The key is to make sure you keep them in the right race.
Today, whatever "race" you're in, wherever you find your gifts and talents being used, do the best you can. Be the best that you can be and run your race. Don't waste time and energy trying to be something you're not or comparing your strengths to the strengths of other people. Remember, you are designed with a purpose for a purpose. When you live your life being the best you can be, you honor God, and you will find success in the race you are in.
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1b, NLT).
At home, Victoria and I have an SUV. It can easily hold eight people. It has a large trunk area and storage for bikes and plenty of luggage. It sits up high off the ground and when you drive it, you feel like you're the king of the road. But if you took that SUV and entered it into the Indianapolis 500, it wouldn't have a chance. It would get lapped again and again. You wouldn't even try to take a turn in that thing at 100 mph! There's no way it could handle that. What's the problem? It's competing in a race it was never designed to be in.
On the other hand, if you trade the SUV in for the Indy race car and bring it home for your everyday use, you would quickly find out that even though the race car gets a lot of attention, even though it has a lot of sizzle, you couldn't take your children to school in it. It's too small. It only holds one person. You couldn't really go to the grocery store. There's no place to put the groceries, no storage. You couldn't drive it on the freeway because it's so low to the ground and the suspension is so tight that if you hit a pothole, it would feel like an earthquake. In a few days you would be saying, "Can I get my SUV back?"
Here's my point: each car is designed for a specific purpose. The SUV isn't going to have a chance in the Indianapolis 500 and the race car is not going to do a lot of good on the city streets. They both have incredible strengths. The key is to make sure you keep them in the right race.
Today, whatever "race" you're in, wherever you find your gifts and talents being used, do the best you can. Be the best that you can be and run your race. Don't waste time and energy trying to be something you're not or comparing your strengths to the strengths of other people. Remember, you are designed with a purpose for a purpose. When you live your life being the best you can be, you honor God, and you will find success in the race you are in.
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1b, NLT).