Professor Boaz: Running with JesusSample

On virtues of running

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)­­

Marathon runners aren't usually flimsy people. It is 26.2 miles. One has to develop a lot of virtues in order to be able to run and finish a marathon. The Apostle Paul enumerates some of these virtues in this verse.

Be Alert

The first virtue he stresses is alertness, or keeping one’s eyes open. In training, a runner encounters gutters, bad roads, fallen trees, and the such. If one is not alert and careful, one can get badly injured. In urban areas one encounters cars - sometimes drivers who do not care, or are in a hurry to get to places. A runner has to be always alert for these bad drivers. 

During the marathon, a runner needs to be very alert. There can be road ditches. Jackets thrown by thoughtless runners. Other debris. The organizers of marathons want runners to be ready for emergency announcements or from alerts from fellow-runners. I remember instances when I alerted a runner about a danger I saw ahead of me. But, the runner fell down as a result of the lack of alertness. 

Be Resolute

The second virtue in this text is resoluteness. A marathon runner needs to be firmly committed to a training schedule, and stick to it. One cannot be lackadaisical about this routine. It requires commitment. During the marathon run itself, a runner needs to tell oneself, “I am going to finish this marathon, no matter what happens.” There are several times during the run, when a runner is tempted to give up, especially when cramps set in. During these times a runner needs to be resolute. 

Be Manly as a Woman is in Childbirth

The Greek virtue underlined here is literally “manly.” However, in the Bible, it is a genderless virtue. It is the courageousness which must be espoused by both women and men runners. In Joshua 1:6, 7, this is the virtue which Joshua the new runner-leader is asked to possess, “Be strong and courageous.” 

More poignantly, it is the virtue of a woman who is going through labor pains during childbirth (Micah 4:10). This is the kind of courage and strength which is needed during the marathon run. Perhaps, women runners can teach their male counterparts a thing or two about running. 

It is worth noting that in 1980s only about 10 % of finishing runners were women. In the 2019 Chicago Marathon, 986 men finished, and 854 women finished. This is 46.41 percent of finishers. An amazing jump! 

Be Strong

The Greek word used here is used of Ruth in the Bible. This is the virtue which Naomi saw in Ruth (Ruth 1:18) and she said, “You go girl, you are going to make it in life.” It is the virtue which drew David to his friend Jonathan. In his lament at the death Jonathan, David exclaims, “Oh marathon runner, you were stronger than the lions!” (2 Samuel 1:23)

Love

The Apostle Paul stresses that the highest virtue for a marathon runner is “love.” It is the love of running. It is the love for fellow-runners. It is the love for people who come cheer to the runners. It is the love for people who do not like runners. 

In the great poem of love, which one reads before this section, the Apostle Paul has already stressed that the greatest virtue is Love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

In the marathon run called life, if one does not have love, it will be a very tiring and futile run.  Lack of love will make a runner give up. It is love which keeps a marathon runner enthused and running. 

A prayer:

Oh Lord, please help me develop these virtues- alertness, resoluteness, womanly manliness, strength, and love, as I run this marathon called life.