THE WORD: The race of life
Published 5:00 am Saturday, July 20, 2019
Recently, walking on the High Bridge Trail, I noticed markings on the ground. Investigating, I recognized distance markers. One noted a number of kilometers, and another indicated a number of miles. I paused and did some figuring, calculating where a person must have started in order to run or ride 5 miles. I tried to imagine race day: How many people were involved, who endured to the end, who pulled ahead, who fell behind? The scriptures include many references to our mortal lives as a race.
In Ecclesiastes 9:11 we read: “ …the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, not yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” Don’t forget Paul’s confident declaration that we all hope to make in some future day as we stand before the Savior: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7.)
In 5K races, marathons and other competitions, participants pit their skills and training against other athletes. Thankfully, in the race of life, we are only in a race with ourselves, to repent, be diligent and endure to the end. In the words of another prophet: “It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize.”
Ultimately, our performance in the race of life will be judged based on how we kept the two great commandments taught by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-40: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind …Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Rather than worrying about who came in first, more substantial questions are worthy of our attention: Can we overcome the “natural man” and become saints through the Atonement of Jesus Christ? Can we be familiar with all and free with our substance, that all may be made rich like ourselves? Can we follow the example of our Savior and become submissive, meek, humble, patient and full of love?
Of this great love, Elder Quentin L. Cook, Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, taught: “Those who seek to know the will of the Lord as individuals and for their families must strive for righteousness, meekness, kindness and love. Humility and love are the hallmark of those who seek the Lord’s will, especially for their families.”
Living the two Great Commandments is most important within the walls of our own homes. In the race of life, it will actually be more important that we helped others along the way, serving our brothers and sisters with love, even as Jesus Christ loves each of us.
BRENT ROBERTS is the Elders Quorum President in the Sandy River Branch, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and also Dean of Greenwood Library at Longwood University. He can be reached at brentsroberts@hotmail.com.