Psalm 86:11 – Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. (NIV)

Some preschool children were in a race to see who could reach the red flag first. Jane, a spirited little girl, was gaining speed on a little boy who was leading the group. It was evident to the bystanders that she would soon overtake him and reach the goal first. Another little girl, running almost neck and neck with her, tripped and fell. Jane immediately responded by helping her up and brushing her off. Seeing that she was not hurt, they both continued in the race. However, they had been left behind. Instead of one being a winner, both came in at the end of the race.

“You would have won,” I told her, “had you continued on.”

“I know,” she replied. “My teacher told me to help my friends when they fall. She was my friend.”

As I thought of her words, I wondered if Jane would feel that way when she became an adult. There is so much emphasis put on winning the race. Would she consider getting ahead in life more important than helping her fallen friend? We live in a competitive world today where it is easy to value winning the race as being more important than helping a friend who has fallen.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, both the priest and the Levite passed by on the other side, not wanting to be involved. Only the Samaritan, who was himself an outcast, stopped to help.

Do we take time out of the race of life to help the person who falls? Or are we too busy trying to win life’s race to bother to stop?

Prayer: Lord, teach us Your ways and how to walk in Your truths. Teach us to focus on the important things that may be of more value than winning the race. Give us the heart of a child who sees the important things and acts on them. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

Ivie Bozeman ivie@rose.net
Thomasville, Georgia, USA

Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca