As one of the first women to burst on the scene defeat male competitors, Ann Trason was a pioneer in the world of ultra-running. Ann showed what she was capable of during the Leadville Trail 100 Run, which takes place in the Rocky Mountains. She finished in 2nd place by running 100 miles in a time of 18:06. She employed a go-for-broke strategy that involved a crazy-fast pace that had her running with the lead for a bulk of the race.
During ultra races, there are aid stations along the course. Each runner has a team or a helper who moves from station to station and prepares food and fresh clothes for the runners. At the thirty-mile mark of the Leadville race, Ann entered the Half Moon campground expecting her husband to be waiting with food. She was unable to spot him because he wasn’t there. Ann was so far under her record pace, her husband had not made it to the aid station yet.
A meaningful reflection of Jesus happens as we abstain from boxing people in with our expectation.
We often set expectations for others based upon what they have done in the past. “Baseball players are who the back of their baseball card says they are” is a sentiment we often employ to people in our circle of interaction.
Truth: Setting expectations based upon how people have previously behaved may keep us from disappointment and hurt, but it may also hinder the growth of the individual. Expectations serve as an invisible fence meant to keep people within certain parameters. Many times, we are warned not to put God in a box, but let’s be sure to not box people in either.
God desires all people to be in relationship with Him and daily grow to be more like Jesus. Because God is always accessible and ready to commune with his children, the speed of an individual’s growth is often set by the individual’s pursuit of Jesus. When a Christian is abiding with Jesus (John 15) they can grow faster and go farther in their journey (with Jesus) than we might expect.
Who someone was doesn’t ensure who they will be. When God gets in the mix, spiritual growth and life change can flow at a much faster pace than we might expect. Let’s be sure to anticipate a faster pace so we can be ready to aid in their journey with Jesus.
Keep Reflecting Jesus.