The Human Race

You know what I want to know?!

Why is it called "the human race"?

According to Yahoo! Answers, it is referred to as a "race" to identify a group or variety.

But do you ever start to feel like life is one big competition to the finish line? You have to be first at everything? You have to be the one who sets the pace for the rest of your friends?

I would be lying(a fat lie at that) if I said that I hadn't felt this way for most of my life.

As we were growing up we were ranked based on academics(honor roll, valedictorian, honor's society), social standing(student government, joining extracurricular clubs) and athletics(cheerleading captain, quarterback of the football team).

As we continued into college, how could this mentality not continue?(Sororities/fraternities, etc)

And now, as we establish our adult lives it's all about who is getting engaged, married and having children first. Or last, as it may be.

I have felt the pressure big time mostly because all of my friends from middle school/high school (with the exception of a precious one of them) are engaged, married, have children, or some combination of the three. So that means, in the "race of life" I've come in dead last.

And don't think I haven't beat myself up about it. Every milestone, family function, every holiday, every birthday that goes by I'm somehow reminded that at the end of the day I'm not going to be saying goodnight to a husband or making sure children have tomorrow's lunch made, that they've brushed their teeth and have been read that one last story.

My grandparents just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary(bless their hearts) and at the dinner cruise we had for them I was asked 6 times where my date was. SIX TIMES.

But here's the deal, and it's something I've recently realized: the human race isn't a competition. It's not a mad dash to the proverbial "finish line" because, to come in first, all we need to do is follow God's plan for our lives and honor Him in all we do.

For some, that's marriage and children. For others, it happens to be a ton of college degrees, jet-setting and a corner office. For most, it's just an ordinary life that to most might seem mundane.

Ultimately, though it's simply the quiet thanks at the end of the day because, when the sun goes down and we've "unlaced our racing shoes", it's just us and Him.

So, I don't need to be married to "win" in life. Would I like to be? You bet your butt I would. But do y'all know that God has us wherever we are because that's the exact place we can bring Him the most glory? And I don't know about y'all, but bringing God glory is pretty high up on my to-do list right now. So right now I don't kiss anyone goodnight; I don't read anyone bedtime stories and I don't go flying half-way across the word to close a business deal. But I still get to honor Him and if I don't realize that then I'm wasting my opportunities.

So, I'm single and while that might make me last in the human race, in the race to glorify God(and just warning you, it's longer than a half-marathon)I'm just where I need to be.