The Finish Line No One Crosses Alone

In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, British sprinter Derek Redmond lined up for the 400-meter semifinal with everything he had trained for on the line. Halfway around the track, his hamstring snapped. He crumpled to the ground in agony while the other runners surged ahead.

What happened next became one of the most replayed moments in Olympic history. Redmond pulled himself up and began hopping toward the finish line, his face twisted in pain. Then a large man pushed past security and ran onto the track. It was Jim Redmond, Derek's father. He wrapped his arm around his son's waist and said, "We're going to finish this together." Step by agonizing step, father and son made their way around the bend. Sixty-five thousand people rose to their feet, many of them weeping.

Derek Redmond did not win a medal that day. He did not even record an official time. But he finished — because someone refused to let him finish alone.

That is a picture of the Church as the Almighty intended it. The Christian life was never meant to be a solo race. The apostle Paul wrote, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." We are called to be the ones who push past the barriers, get onto the track, and say to the person who is struggling, "We are going to finish this together."

Who in your life needs someone on the track with them this week?