Happy Friday!
As we approach Memorial Day, we are reminded of the sacrifices made by those who have served our country, protecting our freedom and also aiding others in trying to either achieve or maintain theirs.
It’s easy to take freedom for granted.
My recent more in-depth travels to Uganda, a free nation, have reminded me of the importance of the structure of our country. The fact that police (for the most part) can’t just randomly make rules and you “pay” your way out of them. Or that TSA is a legit thing. We can’t pay a gentleman in the baggage claim a few extra dollars to get our bags through scrutiny free.
Over the course of history, freedom for ALL has not been a given. Thus, many fought and sacrificed for the freedom and the safety of all, leaving a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.
A legacy. Leaving one’s mark.
Last Sunday, Tom competed in Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga. The athletes swim for 1.2 miles, bike for 56, and then run for 13.1 miles. The training it takes to participate in one of these is intense, to say the least, but the participants are committed. And it all comes down to anywhere from 5 – 8 ½ hours. When it is over, the athletes look at their times and judge their performance. Tom is no exception to that.
I’d followed his times and thought he had a great race. This course is longer than the standard, so even if he was taking a few more minutes, it made sense because the distance was more. Sometimes I think he has unrealistic expectations for himself and thinks that when he finishes, he should feel like immediately doing it again! The post-race conversation centered around whether he’d had a “good race.” We each saw it a little differently.
While we were talking about his times, he nonchalantly said, “And I stopped to help a man who had a flat tire.” Apparently, an athlete had a bike tire issue, Tom saw him on the side of the road, and instead of worrying about missed minutes, he stopped to help the man.
I don’t know how much “time” that added to Tom’s triathlon. But what I do know is that man won’t likely forget that someone sacrificed a better time on the bike course to offer help.
Tom won’t talk about it because he isn’t a “braggy” kind of guy, but he left his mark.
As Jesus followers, leaving a mark is part of what we do.
In Matthew 5:16 Jesus says, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify God in heaven.”
This Sunday, we are offering you the opportunity to do that corporately.
Our act of worship will not be sitting and listening but instead “doing.”
We have 3 options for you . . . one sorting shoes for the Back to School Bash, one prepping school supplies for the Bash, and one working with the SOUL merchandise for Uganda, pricing items, etc.
It may seem small to you, but each opportunity is a way for you to leave your mark.
I hope you will join with me Sunday to make these things happen. I’ll be sorting shoes!
Let’s work together to leave a mark! I promise the inner peace you will feel when you do something for someone beyond yourself is a game changer!