Monday Memo

by Steve May

In 1912, marathon runner Shizo Kanakuri was chosen to represent Japan in the Summer Olympics at Stockholm.

He began the race with the rest of the runners, but along the way was overcome with heat. He stopped at a garden party for some refreshment, but he stayed a little too long — more than an hour. It was now, he thought, too late to get back in the race. He took a train to his hotel and caught a boat back home, too ashamed to tell anyone he was leaving.

For more than 50 years Shizo was listed as a missing person in Sweden, until a journalist finally found him; he had spent the last several decades living a quiet life in southern Japan.

In 1966 the Swedish Public Television network called him with an offer: Would you like to finish your run? The 85 year old Kanakuri accepted, and he traveled to Stockholm to finish the race he had started so many years before. This time he did cross the finish line; his final time was 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 8 hours, 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds.

Our reward is not for starting the race, it’s for finishing it. We already know that. As Paul said in his farewell, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me…” (Acts 20:24)

Here’s the next thing I want you to remember: It’s never too late to get back in the race. You can start running again today. The finish line is still where it used to be.

The average person talks to himself or herself thousands of times a day. For many people, much of that self-talk is negative. “You’re so stupid!” one says to oneself. “Why can’t you do anything right? You’ll never get a break. You’ll never succeed. You don’t have a chance. You’ll never change.” These words reinforce what we believe about ourselves, and they influence the actions we take.

We find it far too easy to believe in the power of our weaknesses and failures; we find it far too difficult to believe in the power of the God who came to transform us into his likeness.

God spoke through Joel this simple phrase: “Let the weak say ‘I am strong.’” (Joel 3:10) He was talking about the day of battle; he was guaranteeing his people a victory.

Every day is the day of battle for followers of Christ. We fight temptation, discouragement, apathy, and failure — day in, day out. And in the midst of battle, God reminds us that victory is ours. Therefore, let the weak say I am strong — for (as David proclaimed when facing Goliath) “The battle is the Lord’s.”

Several years ago Dan Baber honored his mother by posting an auction on eBay titled, “Best Mother in the World.” He promised that the winning bidder would receive an e-mail from his mom, Sue Hamilton. Baber also promised that the email would “make you feel like you are the most special person on the Earth.”

What was the response? The auction lasted seven days, and more than 40,000 viewed it. More than 90 bid on it. The opening price was $1. The winning bid was $610. Can you imagine that? That’s how important words of encouragement are.

Everyone wants to feel like they are “the most special person on the Earth.” And everyone has the power to do that for someone. Moms especially. There are people that God has placed in your path for whom you can give this gift.

In 1 Thessalonians Paul illustrated his care for the believers there by saying, “…we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her children.” This is the kind of illustration that comes naturally, that everyone can relate to, because we see it lived out again and again day after day.

Next Sunday we have a small opportunity to say a big Thank You to the moms — and all the women — in our lives. Don’t forget to put your gratitude into words. And don’t forget to buy the flower. 

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ADDITIONAL QUOTES ON MOMS AND MOTHER’S DAY

All I am I owe to my mother.— George Washington

Mother is the bank where we deposit all our hurts and worries. —Unknown

A mother loves her children even when they least deserve to be loved. —Kate Samperi

Mother’s love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved. — Erich Fromm

You couldn’t fool your mother on the foolingest day of your life even if you had an electrified fooling machine. — Homer Simpson

My mother loved children; she would have given anything if I had been one. —- Groucho Marx