Poor and Proud (2 of 32)
Series: Sermon on the Mount
Robert Dawson
Matthew 5:3
I once read a story about a bicycle race in India. The object of the race was to go the shortest distance possible within a specified time. At the start of the race, everyone cued up at the line, and when the gun sounded all the bicycles, as best they could, stayed put. Racers were disqualified if they tipped over or one of their feet touched the ground. And so they would inch forward just enough to keep the bike balanced. When the time was up and another gun sounded, the person who had gone the farthest was the loser and the person closest to the starting line was the winner.
Imagine getting into that race and not understanding how the race works. When the race starts, you pedal as hard and fast as you possibly can. You’re out of breath. You’re sweating. You’re delighted because the other racers are back there at the starting line. You’re going to break the record. You think, This is fantastic. Don’t let up. Push harder and faster and longer and stronger.
At last you hear the gun that ends the race, and you are delighted because you are unquestionably the winner. Except you are unquestionably the loser because you misunderstood how the race is run.
There are a lot of Christians today who think they are burning up the race track of faith…the only problem is that they are not getting farther ahead but are getting farther behind because they have no understood how the Christian life works.
They are expending enormous amounts of energy and effort only to look back and realize they have little or nothing to show for it --- because of it they become disillusioned and burn out and eventually they walk away or become bitter and miserable in their journey.
It is our nature to go and do and be busy. We have to feel that we are contributing to our cause and the primary way is through action --- action is necessary --- doing the right things are essential but they are second ...
Series: Sermon on the Mount
Robert Dawson
Matthew 5:3
I once read a story about a bicycle race in India. The object of the race was to go the shortest distance possible within a specified time. At the start of the race, everyone cued up at the line, and when the gun sounded all the bicycles, as best they could, stayed put. Racers were disqualified if they tipped over or one of their feet touched the ground. And so they would inch forward just enough to keep the bike balanced. When the time was up and another gun sounded, the person who had gone the farthest was the loser and the person closest to the starting line was the winner.
Imagine getting into that race and not understanding how the race works. When the race starts, you pedal as hard and fast as you possibly can. You’re out of breath. You’re sweating. You’re delighted because the other racers are back there at the starting line. You’re going to break the record. You think, This is fantastic. Don’t let up. Push harder and faster and longer and stronger.
At last you hear the gun that ends the race, and you are delighted because you are unquestionably the winner. Except you are unquestionably the loser because you misunderstood how the race is run.
There are a lot of Christians today who think they are burning up the race track of faith…the only problem is that they are not getting farther ahead but are getting farther behind because they have no understood how the Christian life works.
They are expending enormous amounts of energy and effort only to look back and realize they have little or nothing to show for it --- because of it they become disillusioned and burn out and eventually they walk away or become bitter and miserable in their journey.
It is our nature to go and do and be busy. We have to feel that we are contributing to our cause and the primary way is through action --- action is necessary --- doing the right things are essential but they are second ...
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