Oh, Deer!
When time and schedules permit, Jason and I enjoy taking Barnabas to a local heritage preserve for his daily walk. Unlike our neighborhood, there are no cars to contend with, and Barnabas can walk off leash. Jason and I can relax more as we walk and talk while Barnabas tromps ahead of us smelling (and marking) every leaf, tree, and stick.
As we were walking him one day last week, we heard rustling in the tall brush. This is not uncommon as the heritage preserve is home to much wildlife, including a variety of birds. It’s not every day, however, that two deer leap out of the brush onto the trail just a few feet in front of us. As their feet hit the trail, they turned and bounded down the path in the opposite direction, and Barnabas gave full chase.
We called to him, and he stopped for a moment. From the look on his face, the dilemma within him was apparent. On the one hand, he wanted to obey. He’s grown very good at that. But, on the flip side, those pouncing deer were such tempting targets. So, off he went, and let me tell you, that dog can move!
Because of his momentary hesitation, the deer were long gone by the time he turned the corner of the trail, so he came running back to us, his tongue lolling to one side, his eyes wide as saucers. Suddenly, three more deer leaped out of the brush and followed the path of the previous ones. Once again, Barnabas took off. We called to him and even used his e-collar, but the temptation was too great. So, we watched as the deer fled for their lives and Barnabas showed us how fast he could run. Fortunately, the deer were faster, and our pup soon returned, tongue still flopping. Never a dull moment!
For the rest of the walk, Barnabas kept his eyes open and his ears lifted, straining to catch any sign of more deer to chase. Jason and I chatted about how close of a race it had appeared to be between predator and prey.
“Deer can outrun dogs,” Jason commented. “It may seem close, but they’re definitely faster. The trouble is, they can’t keep that pace for long. They’re sprinters, not marathon runners. The good thing is, Barnabas is the same way. He’s fast, but he can’t keep up that steady pace.”
The conversation made me think about the race of life we’re running. I often feel like it’s a race for sprinters, each of us hurrying to do this and that, to go here and there. So much to do, so little time. Yes, it seems many of us act like sprinters in our Christian walk, but we can’t keep that pace for long, and pretty soon, we burn out, growing weary in well-doing.
I don’t think God ever intended for life to be a sprint. I believe He meant for it to be a marathon. A race designed to be run with steady persistence, not speed. One where we don’t burn up all of our energy in the first half, leaving nothing for the remainder of the journey. I don’t recall a single time in the Bible where Jesus hurried. You talk about someone with a busy schedule and every excuse to run from place to place! Still, he didn’t rush around. He didn’t hurry through a task so He could move on the next one. Yes, there were times He grew weary, but when that happened, we see Him taking time to rest, time to get away from everything and everyone except His disciples (and sometimes even them).
Jesus lived His life on earth as if it were a marathon, not a sprint. Slow and steady wins the race. And I believe He wants us to do the same. Life is not about how much we can accomplish each day or how busy we are. It’s about glorifying God in all we say and do, and how can we do that if we’re too tired even to get out bed?
I don’t know how those poor deer felt that night after their horrible flight from the big, black dog, but I can tell you this: Barnabas crashed! He crashed hard. As soon as we got home, he ate his dinner, crawled up on the couch, and started snoring. And he slept soundly until later on the next morning. Let’s not make the same mistake.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ”