Pastor's Corner: Remember the Big Jake Principle

2 Timothy 4:7 — “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

If the Christian life is a race, have you ever felt like quitting?

I recently taught a class on the second book that the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy. The author of the study guide, Matt Proctor, says that every time he reads the above verse he thinks of “Jake.” Jake was a teammate of the author’s when they were in high school. Matt ran long distance; Jake threw the shot put. Everyone called him Big Jake because he was, quite frankly, massive. He’d been shaving since second grade (or so it seemed), and he had muscles in places where other young men his age did not even have places.

However, Jake was not exactly the brightest candle on the cake. Case in point: once the track team was given an extra entry in the mile race, and Big Jake volunteered to run. The team could not contain their surprise. Jake had never run one lap around the track, let along the four laps that make a mile. But it was his senior year and Jake apparently wanted to go out in a blaze of glory. And so … the coach gave him the spot.

The day came, and the mile runners lined up — 11 skinny kids and one full-size man. The gun fired, and to the astonishment of everyone, Big Jake took off like a deer … or more like a buffalo. He sprinted out around the first curve, opening a large lead. Like a locomotive with a full head of steam, he was chugging down the track. A blaze of glory indeed!

But something began to happen during the second lap. Big Jake started to slow. His stride was losing its strength, the pack of runners began to pass him, and it quickly became apparent: Big Jake had burned all his fuel in that spectacular launch. He was now running on fumes. Soon he was in dead last.

It was clear he was in a world of pain. Every muscle in big Jake’s body was screaming for him to quit, and halfway around the last lap, he did just that. With a mighty sigh, he just stopped running. He bent over and grabbed his knees, fighting for air, and after a few moments to regain his balance, he walked slowly off the track. The blaze of glory had flickered out.

Big Jake never finished the race, and that day the author marked down what you might call the Big Jake Principle: It’s not how you start the race that matters. It’s how you finish.

Everyone reading this has experienced some sort of heartache. You know the Christian life is hard. John 16:33 says, “In this world you will have trouble.” Acts 14:22 says, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” And I Peter 4:12 adds, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange is happening to you.”

You know the Christian life is hard because you’ve lived it. Perhaps it’s a sinful habit, a betrayal (marriage, friend, family, or work), a lost friendship (choosing to take different roads), illness, or the death of a loved one. There is no “easy button.” We need the wisdom that only God can give to help take us to the finish line of life.

God gives us strength to finish our journey here on earth. I recently memorized the following scripture: “Do you not know? Have you now heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired and weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint” Isaiah 40: 28-31.

Remember this: It’s not how you start the race. It’s how you finish.

Don’t quit.

Be faithful.

Persevere.

Endure.

Don’t give up.

Don’t give in.

Keep running.

Stay on track.

Finish Strong!

Ila McClenahan is Northern Montana Health Care pastoral care coordinator.