Don't Ride it Alone

As far back as I can remember I have been involved in athletics. I enjoyed the competition, the camaraderie of a team, and the feeling of mind and body working together. I think I may have become addicted to endorphines too. I think those are the chemicals released into the body during physical exertion. About 15 years ago I bought my first heart monitor. I loved that thing. I could ride my bike, target a heart rate and ride my little brains out. The heart rate monitor made it possible for me to work out as hard as I wanted to. I prided myself in being able to target a heart rate of say 172 and hold it there for an hour. I really thought I could ride as hard by myself as when I was riding with other people. I've been watching the Olympics the last couple of weeks. Like everyone else I have watched as one world record after another has fallen. What I have come to realize is no one breaks a record when they are working out by themselves. These athletes are the best in the world. They aren't broken down athletes turned preachers. And yet, they are only at their very best when they are running, riding, swimming with others. That got me thinking about being a Christian. Christians weren't made to live it alone. We were meant to be side by side with others running the same race. You not only make it less lonely for me, you make me better. Lately there seems to be an epidemic around me of lives exploding and marriages disintegrating. I think that happens in part because people head off with their heart monitor and think they can do just as well when they ride by themselves. Don't. You can't. The church is designed to be the group that rides with you, makes it safer, less lonely, and ends up spurring you on when you want to give up. All you loners out there, come on in and let's ride this one out together. One thing I have learned is that fellow riders are way better than a heart monitor.