Not Concerned for Your Own Good

At the Rio 2016 Olympics, American runner Abbey D'Agostino unintentionally clipped fellow competitor Nikki Hamblin during a grueling 5000-meter race, sending her tumbling to the track with 2000 meters still remaining. Rather than continuing on toward her own finish, Abbey stopped, placed a gentle hand on Nikki's shoulder, and said, "Get up. We have to finish this." Few environments are as fiercely competitive as an Olympic race, yet Abbey understood something more important than winning was at stake. She could have easily continued on alone, treating Nikki as nothing more than an obstacle or competitor. Instead, she chose the unusual path of helping someone she had every reason to leave behind, and remarkably, when Abbey herself later struggled to continue, Nikki was there to help her in return.

Paul's instruction in 1 Corinthians 10:24 captures exactly what Abbey demonstrated: do not be concerned only for your own good, but for the good of others. Self-centeredness has no place in genuine Christian character, yet many struggle to extend kindness to others simply because they remain consumed by their own troubles and pursuits. There is a saying worth remembering: if you do not help someone cross over, you may not cross the finish line yourself. Few things in life bring the same fulfillment as helping another person finish their race, whatever form that race takes. Invest a seed of kindness in someone's life today, using whatever gift or opportunity is within your reach, and trust that in time, you will harvest the fruit of genuine fulfillment.