It is my second year to be a part of the Pineywoods 10K. I gather a few people together to be a part of my team. The youngest is five...Lala Palooza...is my name for her. Her mom and her talk that morning about the length of the trail...that it is a long way and you can't quit in the middle.
She takes off with her other aunt...moving far beyond my line of vision. They run and I walk with a friend enjoying the day and setting a good pace. I ran last year...this year I walk and truthfully I know I will be among the last to finish.
We walk under the bridge and up ahead there she is, my niece and her aunt. She is waving at me from a few feet ahead. She sits down to wait and we all walk together for a while. Her aunt runs on...my friend doesn't need to stop with us for a little break. Pretty soon we are left to ourselves.
We talk and laugh. She recited her bible verse and I tell her mine. Mile three goes by and we pass the pond and discuss littering. We turn to mile four and she states that this is a long way. I smile and we talk about the finish line, her mom cheering her on. I tell her that we have a great cloud of witnesses in heaven cheering us on. She tells me some of their names...those who have gone before us.
We get to mile 5 and she says, "Aunt Stac, every time I pick my foot up and put it down it hurts." I nod in agreement and we talk about those who we are walking to help...so many that cannot do what we are doing. We sing songs, encourage each other, laugh and even complain a little.
We stop at the dam, six miles behind, only a few more steps to take. She looks at the swan in the pond and I ask, "Do you want to finish behind me, beside me, or in front of me?"
I am hoping we can finish together because I never really want to be last...at anything. She wants to finish in front of me of course and I grimace because I am going to be last...dead last. Frankly I am not sure this has ever happened before. This being last doesn't sit well in my flesh. I was taught to try hard...to win. In this world it is all about getting ahead, making the most, being the best.
Is this what Jesus meant when he said "the last will be first". Could it be that choosing to be last is just another way of denying my flesh and choosing love first? They call it "dead" last for a reason. When you choose it...all that wanting to win...to be the best....must die.
We climb the last hill and as we reach the top we turn and she begins to run. Friends holding the finish line cheering her on to the end. I watch and clap and yell for her. She has done what many adults have never done...walked some six and half miles. She is a winner.
And me...oh I finished last...dead last...just under two hours. But learning to be last came with an incredible blessing. Kids have great wisdom in the way the take life. Rarely in a hurry always seeking the relationship first...stopping to look at swans when time should matter..but it doesn't really.
This is how we share Jesus with others. We become willing to be last...dead last. All the while cheering them on to the finish line. This is a win everytime, and not just for today but for eternity.
