Metaphor 2: Running Against the Wind

Happy Father’s Day, dads! Chris decided on a day trip to Leavenworth and we all had a great time. Surprisingly, the weather was beautiful. Finally, we hope – though perhaps I’m speaking too soon – we’ve made it to spring. While much of the country has been battling heat waves and fire (or floods and tornadoes), we haven’t managed to get out of winter. Just last week, we had a blizzard out here and a huge dumping of snow built up in the mountains. Chris has been calling it “June-uary."

Here, the blustery winds raised the ante in training for Bloomsday. (Yes, we both ran it this year. Chris – go get ‘em! – finished 6th for his age and first-timer Karen surprised herself with a respectable time and less walking than anticipated). Maybe training in the wind helped both of us for a beautiful, non-windy race day. It also gave Karen a metaphor for our Christian lives . . .

With Amanda free to watch the kids for an hour, I planned on a 4 mile training run down Indian John Trail and back. What was I thinking?! After the initial 1/3 mile, it’s a straight shot without curves or bends and, on this occasion, directly into heavy wind. I didn’t think there was any way I was going to make it to that 2 mile check point. Groaning, running backwards at times, and walking often, I was filled with jealousy at the runners going the opposite direction. “Do you know how good you’ve got it?” I thought to them, angrily. “Have you run in this direction yet? If not, just you wait!” The clock and my frustration level were moving so rapidly I almost turned back many a time. But I pushed and pushed myself, made it to the checkpoint, let out a deep sigh, and hugged the marker.

But I was far behind schedule to make it home for Amanda and exhausted. She might be late for her own plans if I didn’t move very quickly now. So I started running and, in spite of my exhaustion, running was so easy. Running quickly and easily, my body seemed to have forgotten its aches. I made it home in time and picked up a metaphor on the way home too: before Christ, we are living like we’re running against the wind. But with the Holy Spirit, we run like the Spirit is the Wind behind us. The trail has the same thorns, pits and obstructions, but now we run with the Wind behind us. It’s a picture of the verse implanted to us in Baton Rouge and blogged there on May 31: “Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Is 40:31).

As I reflected on this metaphor, I realized that the vast majority of humanity is running against the wind. So when I am likely to get irritated with someone for a foolish or selfish act that affects me, I need to have compassion, remembering the person is running against the wind. I reflected on the literal meaning of “repent”: “turn around.” We are called to “repent/turn around” so that we can run with the Wind helping us.

Toward the end of the run, the metaphor took another “twist” as I twisted onto the final 1/3 mile stretch and ran with the wind to my side. Surprisingly, this direction felt almost as difficult as running against the wind. I felt the Spirit whisper, “this is the typical direction of Christians: running with the wind to their side.” We may begin by turning only part way or we may turn 180 degrees for a short time, only to veer off later. But most of us Christians are running with the wind to our side and – little do we realize it – that is almost as hard as running against the wind. May we each listen to where the Spirit is blowing and run in that direction. What a joy it is to run when the Wind helping us along!