Why do we race?
Why do we have a fascination with racing?
Where does our interest come from in seeing who can win?
Why does it matter who wins?
Could it very well be an inclination we are born with?
Max Helton, the founding chaplain of MRO, often answered this question with another, “what is the first thing you often hear children say?” ‘Let’s race!”
Think about this for a moment, from the time children are old enough to talk, walk, and play with other children one of the things they love to do is race! Go to a park, playground, or where any group of kids are gathered in a backyard and you will soon here one child say to another “I’ll race you!”
It may just be to a tree, or a swing, or too a toy, or the kitchen table but it happens all the time. Children naturally want to race.
We appear born competitive with a desire to test our abilities with one another. Instinctively driven to prove our abilities and superiority amongst our piers and as we grow older it does not seem to change.
What we “race” and where we “race” may change but in life we continue to race.
What is interesting is that God does not look down on racing, competing if you will. In fact He helps to define the race for us in the Bible. In looking at our life here on earth you find verses in the Bible that bring the race of life into perspective for us.
One such verse is this “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Another one is “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”
The Bible has no problem comparing life to a race. It is something we are familiar with from the day we are born. What the Bible teaches us is to run the “race” of life in such a way so we can win and it is a race that all who chooses to will win.
The winners of the ultimate race of life” are those who come to know personally God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. They have come to know true faith and have faithfully lived their life trusting God with every aspect of their day-to-day existence.
In doing so they have earned the “prize”. What is the prize? His peace and His presence both now and for eternity!
Billy Mauldin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Motor Racing Outreach