Psalm 86:11 - Teach me your
way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I
may fear your name. (NIV)
Some preschool children were in a race to see who
could reach the red flag first. Jane, a spirited little girl, was gaining speed
on a little boy who was leading the group. It was evident to the bystanders that
she would soon overtake him and reach the goal first. Another little girl,
running almost neck and neck with her, tripped and fell. Jane immediately
responded by helping her up and brushing her off. Seeing that she was not hurt,
they both continued in the race. However, they had been left behind. Instead of
one being a winner, both came in at the end of the race.
"You would have won," I told her, "had you continued
on."
"I know," she replied. "My teacher told me to help my
friends when they fall. She was my friend."
As I thought of her words, I wondered if Jane would
feel that way when she became an adult. There is so much emphasis put on winning
the race. Would she consider getting ahead in life more important than helping
her fallen friend? We live in a competitive world today where it is easy to
value winning the race as being more important than helping a friend who has
fallen.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, both the priest
and the Levite passed by on the other side, not wanting to be involved. Only the
Samaritan, who was himself an outcast, stopped to help.
Do we take time out of the race of life to help the
person who falls? Or are we too busy trying to win life's race to bother to
stop?
Prayer: Lord, teach us Your ways and how to walk in
Your truths. Teach us to focus on the important things that may be of more value
than winning the race. Give us the heart of a child who sees the important
things and acts on them. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.
Ivie Bozeman
ivie@rose.net
Thomasville, Georgia, USA
Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca
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