MARATHON

The last piece I wrote on this blog was “Could Michael Graham Be Right?”  I almost entitled this one, “Could Howie Carr Be Wrong?”!  For those of you who don’t know, Howie Carr is Michael Graham’s competition on WRKO Boston.  Every year Howie Carr laments the Boston Marathon and wishes it would just go away.  Howie wouldn’t be too happy with me because I really like the Boston Marathon.

I realize the race IS inconvenient and disruptive for many people.  It IS true that the race generates a tremendous amount of litter; and I know the worst part of it is runners indiscriminately urinating all over the place.  Even so, I think it’s quite a feat for someone to run 26 miles!

I’ve been a participant in several “Walk-a-thons” over the years- the last one was ten years ago.  In school I was one of the last kids picked for teams in gym class.  My father was embarrassed because I wasn’t a great athlete.  Well, let’s call it for what it is:  I wasn’t an athlete period.  But the one great physical achievement I’ve done IS that I’ve completed those lengthy “Walk-a-thons” and each time that I did, I felt like a quarterback who won the Super Bowl!  Thus, I can imagine what it must be to RUN that distance.

Hebrews chapter twelve pictures the Christian life as a race in which the “Old Testament saints” (as we evangelicals call them) are spectators cheering us on, and Jesus is our coach.  We are to run the race with endurance (see Hebrews 12:1-13).  We are not to give up.  Life itself is also like a grueling race.  Life has its exhilarating moments as well as its heartbreak hills.  Interestingly enough, if the Boston Marathon were an allegory of a human life span,  downtown Framingham (where I watch the race) would represent someone who is roughly 18-years-old.  That’s such a key time in life.  At Framingham, some are filled with joy and enthusiasm, and some look like they’re already about to quit.  With my loud voice I yell,

“All right, Matt, All right!”
“Go Sarah!”
“All right, Canada!”
“Kevin’s Dad, All right!”

Many smile and say “thank you!”

Will this loud, eccentric “Franco-American” (my mom HATED that ethnic term) 51-year-old’s exhortation help even one runner stay positive and make it to the end? I like to think so!

I didn’t put a lot of thought into this piece.  I’m just sitting at the computer writing.  I know that my own life has been mostly NOT easy.  I struggle over the issues of:

---Am I a good leader?

---Am I a good husband and father?

---Indeed I AM loud and eccentric.  Do people dislike that?  Do they dislike me?

---Sometimes I can be the life of the party...but are they laughing WITH me or are they laughing AT me?

---Even:  The Framingham church continues to be small.  Does that mean I’m NOT a good pastor?

The Bible is a great comfort and encouragement to me and helps me deal with all those (and other) issues.   To use a very rural, Southern expression:  I’LL TELL YOU WHAT -  I’d love to hear somebody say “All right, BOB, You can DO it!”

In my heart, I believe Jesus IS saying that.  

This is the most open I’ve been so far on this blog.  Maybe it helps you understand why I love the Boston Marathon and why I show up to cheer those runners on!