Outrunning!

1Cor 9: 19-24



Outrunning!



Two friends were traveling together through a jungle where they were warned that the road ahead was frequented by a tiger. When they heard tiger’s roar behind them both started to run. Then one started to get out his running shoes. "You'll never outrun the tiger," said his friend, "I don't have to outrun the tiger,” the other said, “I only have to outrun you." Several Christians consider salvation as something like outrunning others; for them salvation is a private goal to be won. Of course, Paul uses the image of race to describe Christian life (2 Tim 4:7;) However, it is better used in the sense of pursuing a goal (1Tim.6: 11; Phili.3:14).

To be reforming means coming to humility. Augustine once said, "Should you ask me what is the first thing in religion, I should reply that the first, second, and third thing therein is humility.” Humilitas, the word from which humble comes, shares its root with the word humus, dirt. Christian life is not a competitive race to outrun others. It is run-together with others, helping the other to enjoy the happiness of being in fellowship with God and every other creation. The ideal of Maitreya Buddha, one who incarnates again and again till the last one is saved better explains Paul’s phrase, “to the weak I became weak” (1Cor.9:22).