You Never Run To The Finish Line...
You Always Run Through It!
At the sound of the gun our runner was off to a great start. He led around the first curve and all the way down the backstretch. Coming around the final turn he was still in the lead and seemed to have a comfortable cushion from his nearest competitor. Teammates were cheering wildly as all the runners were sprinting down the home stretch. He had the win and he knew it. As the line came into view, he slowed his approach and eased his way to it. But he had run to the start line not the finish line! Realizing his mistake he tried desparately to gear back up to full speed but his lead had already vanished as his closest competitors passed him by.
While he still managed to place well, he had not won the race and an opportunity had been lost. He had run to a finish line and not through the finish line. Had he observed the principle he might have survived his initial misjudgement and won in spite of his mistake.
Since the beginning of February we have been running a race, chasing the opportunity to match a $35,000 gift for the Grace Fitness Center. Tuesday's finish line is in sight and we are very close to winning since our total now exceeds $30,000. The challenge, however, is to run through the finish line and not just to it.
Will we slow down at the end, assuming we are going to make it? Would we settle for getting close to the full match or even getting it...when we could sprint right through it? Every dollar that exceeds that match is one less dollar we have to raise later. Every dollar that exceeds the match is one dollar closer to construction. Let's not 'measure' our efforts at the end, let's finish strong.
Never run to a finish line...always run through it!