How Fast Can You Run?

Have you heard about the two hikers enjoying the cool breeze as they walked the back country one sunny afternoon? They came upon a clearing and quickly discovered that they had inadvertently stepped between a mama bear and her cub. Hearing the tremendous roar of the mother, both hikers remained calm and began to plan for an escape. The first guy said to the second, let's play dead and hope she leaves us alone, the second replied I have a better idea and knelt down to tighten his shoe laces. The first hiker inquired if his friend honestly thought he could outrun a bear. The second hiker simply responded, "I'm not outrunning the bear, just you!"

Regardless of how fast you run, the world is running faster than both you and I. In fact, our world moves at such a fast pace that it seems like lightening flashes in slow motion. I read the other day that a production model corvette will break 200 miles per hour and reach highway speeds in 1st gear. As exciting as this sounds, it is a little excessive; but they still sell. People definitely have a need for speed. Think about the things that seemingly increase the speed of the world around us:

- Speed dial on your phone (office, cell or home)

- Microwave dinners (no more slaving over the hot stove for hours)

- Computers (if you bought one yesterday, there's a faster one available today)

- Quick drying paint (you don't have to wait 24 hours before a second coat)

- Fast food (well, you get the point, now don't you?)

All of these things increase the speed of our lives, but what about the quality of the life they push faster than ever? Do they really add to the value and impact of your life, or do they simply allow more things to crowd in on the 24 hours God gives you each day? I know for me, many days it is the latter. Now, don't get me wrong, I think I could be quite productive eating fast food in a corvette while talking on a cell phone, but would I truly get enjoyment out of each thing? How can I carry on a conversation, much less eat my fries while driving 200 mph, I mean the speed limit, in a corvette?

God has given us so many resources that we could use for His good, but the goodness of the things seems to crowd out the greatness of His call because we combine, multitask and rush through so many things.

Please don't confuse me with those wanting to go back to life before Edison and the light bulb, or Franklin and electricity, or Jobs & Wozniak and computers. I enjoy and even rely on these discoveries and inventions in my everyday life. But I have come to consider what brings the most joy out of life; and it has nothing to do with light bulbs, but everything with encouraging continued tries despite apparent failures. It has nothing to do with using a key to unlock the potential of electric current and everything to do with kites that unlock a child's smile. It has nothing to do with super fast computer chips and random access memory and everything to do with slowing down to enjoy the random acts that create memories.

I know it is the busiest time of the year, but that's not what the song says, is it? The song says it's the most wonderful time of the year and it truly is. It is the season of celebrating Christ's birth - the miracle of Almighty God coming to earth as a helpless baby in a manger so that all who believe in Him can have life everlasting - a life that doesn't need to be sped up because it has no end!

This week, slow down and set aside time with the people you love. Set aside some time with them reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. You might find it to be more of a rush than the corvette, well at least better than the burger and fries.