Where Are You Going?

Last Thursday after work I went running in one of my favorite places, Freedom Park.  So beautiful, peaceful, and every runner's dream - nice and flat :).

As usual, Freedom Park was full of families, and my attention was drawn to a family feeding the geese by the lake.  One of their adorable little daughters started talking to be as I ran by...something about her smile, her braided hair, reminded me of the little girls at the House of Hope orphanage in Haiti, so she really got my attention.

"Hello!" she yelled, throwing a combination of grass, leaves, and dirt in the air in my general direction.

"Hi!"  I kind of huffed back (I'd been running for about 45 minutes, see).

"Where are you going?" she asked me.

So, in my opinion, not exactly a good time to stop and explain that I was running back to my place to get some nice, cold water and to rest my legs.  I admit I didn't answer her back.

"Are you running?" she hollered as I ran away.

"Yes!"  I managed to pant back.

What a lesson in humility, and just when I was thinking I was rather proud of my pace and how my legs were holding up! 

The story might have ended there, but I kept thinking about that little girl and her sweet smile, her honest curiosity in why on earth I would choose to run around the lake in Freedom Park after a long day at work. 

I started thinking about how, as Christians, we make so many choices to intentionally follow Christ, to choose righteousness, to turn away from sin.  To me, my choices are very clear, very obviously done to be more like Christ.  These decisions are usually preceded by lots of prayer and study of the Word.  But is it really obvious to anyone else, especially those who do not know Christ, what I am doing and why, and for whom, I am choosing so many hard and beautiful things?

I was reminded of this just yesterday.  I was telling my coworker that since I had come in late to work (8am, folks), I had gotten up to lift at the YMCA before work.  She was amazed I had gotten up so early, gone back to my apartment to shower and get ready, and then come to work.

The reason I went to the gym early was because I had a meeting for our Rwanda mission trip that night.  The reason I went back to my apartment was not that I hate the showers at the YMCA, but because it gives me time to read my Bible and pray while I eat breakfast and drink my coffee.  I can't, nor do I want, to face the world without being first centered on God.

But I didn't say any of that.  I said something like, "Well, I'm just used to getting up at 5am now, so it just made sense to get a good workout in early."

So many people around us don't know where we are going when we follow God, let alone where they are going without His anchor in their lives.  If we don't tell them where we are going, how will they know?  It's not as obvious as throwing on running shoes and running in Freedom Park.  Many people say they are Christian or come to church, but sadly, they don't really know Christ.  And I wonder if that is because those of us who do are slack in telling and teaching them how to know Him.

1 Peter 3:15 says that we are to be "...always prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you...."  Peter clearly knows that we are in the midst of a battle, something I really forgot this week.  Something I'm still kicking myself for as I remember.

Thankfully, there is abundant grace for my slip up, but abundant opportunities to tell everyone tomorrow where I am going. 

And if you see me running in Freedom Park, get me some water please :).