Healers*

Six athletes in the Special Olympics track and field event line up.
The official raises his arm and says, “Ready! Set!…”
And before he can squeeze the trigger
Two of the athletes have jumped the gun and started running.
The others join in.
They’re called back to line up in their starting positions.

The arm is raised into the air again.
The official calls out, “Ready! Set!...”
One of the athletes is off and running.
The others join in.
They’re called back.

The scenario repeats twice more.

This time the official raises his arm quickly
And with rapid fire speaks:
Ready!
Set!
Bang!
No false starts.
The athletes begin to race.

One of the six jumps out in front and sustains a lead.
He is running so fast now that his body cannot keep up with his legs.
He falls onto his knees and elbows.
The other athletes pass him.

A few meters ahead of the fallen runner
One of the female athletes turns around.
The other runners notice.
The crowd of supporters yells to the special athletes:
“Keep running!"
The female athlete is now crouched beside her fallen competitor.
“What happened?!” she asks.
“I got a boo-boo,” the fallen runner says and shows his scraped knee.
Upon seeing the scrape, the other athlete kneels down
And kisses his wound.

By this time the remaining four competitors
Have gathered around the two of them.
They help the wounded to his feet.
All six athletes, without discussion, start to join hands
In a single line and begin to run.
They finish the race together.
The six are declared winners.
The crowd gives them a 10-minute standing ovation.

At what cost do I want to win:
A race? An argument? A debate?
At what cost do I want to be right?
I want to choose happiness over being right.
I want to choose happiness over ego.
I want to choose humility over pride.
I pray for the strength of heart and spirit to do so.
Let it begin with me.


*Our pastor shared this true story in church today, recounting it from his heart. He stumbled upon it while watching ESPN late one evening.