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    The rat race!

    I suspect that most of us know a little something about that. Monday, you start your week off by sleeping until you have to get up so that you’ll be on-time at work, school, or some other obligation. Where’s that shirt? What happened to those shoes? Then you discover the kids were supposed to take some project or other to school, but they didn’t bother to tell you about it until time to head out the door. Then there’s the traffic! Mondays are great for surprises at work. No problem, you’ll just take it in stride, right?

    This little scenario is repeated with various alterations every day. Add to this mix, the competition for business, for promotions, for recognition, for survival. Toss in a few problems, a handful of disgruntled co-workers and customers. Let a couple of things break. Read an article or two about the speed of business, the rapid pace of life in general, the lack of quality time for relationships, lack of time for exercise, lack of time for parenting, lack of time for... just fill in the blank.

What if you gained the whole world but had no answer for your soul? Rats!

    Why is everyone rushing about? In order to gain something. We have to make a living, have to make our mark on the world, have to get our name in lights, have to go here, do that, be this. “Rat race,” is a very appropriate name.

    What if you were to discover that this isn’t what life is about? What if you learned that after all is said and done, that you’d still feel empty and lacking something important? What if you gained the whole world but had no answer for your soul? Rats!

    I’ve got some good news for you. In your haste to get to your burial place, slow down long enough to hear that God has a different take on life. It’s not the person with the most toys at the end who wins. The rat race is just temporary. It’s just a warm up. It’s not the permanent thing. Listen long enough to hear God speak in his word about eternal life. That’s no never-ending rat race. Quite the contrary, it’s not a rat race at all, and better news — when you’ve won God’s reward at the end, you’re certainly not a rat. You’re a son, a daughter, a fellow heir with Jesus Christ himself. Don’t get so caught up with the rats that you miss the best opportunity of all.