Daily Devotion – Stepping Down So Others Can Shine

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The other day I came across an incredible video of a race from December 2, 2012. It was the Burlada Cross Country Race in Spain–a race that stands out from the crowd because one athlete stepped down so another could shine.

Just as Ivan Fernandez was approaching the end of the race, he noticed his fellow competitor, Abel Mutai from Kenya slowing down and checking his watch, just short of the finish line. This was Ivan’s chance to get ahead and reach for the prize, but instead of grabbing an opportunity to take the lead, he showed the world what it really means to love your neighbor as yourself.

Ivan knew that Abel was faster than him. He knew that Abel would have already won if he wasn’t confused. And so he chose the road less travelled–a path that’s paved with goodness and grace.

In the video we see Ivan slowing down and pointing ahead as he’s telling Abel to keep on going. Since Abel didn’t understand his language, however, it didn’t help. And so, we see Ivan with one hand on Abel’s back pushing him ahead through the finish line.

In the same way, we’re running a race in this world and we’re running to win, but if we’re not cheering on others and pointing the way, perhaps we’re just running in vain.

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Tilling the Soil

Read Mark 12:28-34 where Jesus talks about the greatest commandment.

Planting Hope

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31, NIV)

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Darlene Schacht and her husband Michael live in Manitoba Canada where the summers are beautiful and the winters are cold. Together they’ve come to learn that relationships aren’t always easy, but that marriage, the way God intended it to be, is a treasure worth fighting for.

She began her publishing journey about twelve years ago when she pioneered one of the first online magazines for Christian women, known at the time as “Christian Women Online Magazine.” After three years, Darlene left CWO to blog as a solo author at Time-Warp Wife Ministries.

It was also during this transition that she worked alongside actress Candace Cameron Bure to write the NYT Best-Selling book, Reshaping it All: Motivation for Spiritual and Physical Fitness. Reshaping it All was the winner of both the 2011 USA Best Book Awards and the 2012 Christian Reading Retailers Choice Awards.

Author of more than 15 books, Darlene continues to write and to minister to her readers through her blog at TimeWarpWife.com.