Run Your Own Race

A very wise woman once taught me about developing a motto...a phrase or sentence in which to live by. This motto could be for a season of life or longer depending on how it applies. I myself found it difficult to come up with a motto that applied to me and my life. Most of the time it was something like "Keep your head above water" "Just keep swimming..." or "This too shall pass...". I look back at these attempts at a motto and realize that I was just trying to survive.

 Even though there are times in our lives when we find ourselves in survival mode (new parents,the toddler years,family tragedy, just to name a few), there is more to life than just surviving. And so was born my motto....

Run Your Own Race

(Luke 10:38-42)

 

This passage attached to my motto is the story of Mary and Martha. You see, Martha had a rather important guest, Jesus. As she was busy preparing her house for Him (possibly cleaning, cooking etc.), her sister was at his feet, hanging on his every word. Martha gets upset and says to Jesus, something like this..."I'm am running around here like crazy and you are just going to let her sit there and not help me? Tell her to get up and help me take care of you." Jesus anwers "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."

Some see this well known Bible story as a way of describing how being hospitable is not always about being busy preparing for your guests. It isn't all about the acts that you do but sometimes it's more important to be like Mary. I whole heartedly agree with this, however I've gained a new perspective from this story. God made us all differently. We aren't all fulfilled by the same things. We aren't made to be good at the same things. This is where "run your own race" comes in. Run with your talents, run with your hearts desires, run with the flow and by all means run with God's gifts in your life. Some would be filled up by sitting at Jesus' feet (I know I would) and some are filled up by cooking him dinner. And sometimes the things that fill us up change throughout our lifetime. 

So, as I walk out this motto "run your own race" (no pun intended).....I am reminded that no one else is like me. I would love to be a mom like June Cleaver or Carol Brady, but I am not them, I am me. I am Tommy's only wife. Bryce, Caitlan and Taylor's only Mommy. I am priceless and cannot be replaced. There are important things in this life that I am here to do, and if I spend my days chasing what others think is important or trying to run someone elses race, because I think what they are doing is right, more important or more worthy than the things I have going on in my life. Then I will have wasted my life.


This coming year I encourage you to dig deep and find the courage to stay true to who you are. Keep your eyes on the road under your own feet and "run your own race".