Do you realize you are in a race that will define your life? Are you running to win? Are you aware of the only opponent who can stop you?
A BIG HEART CAN DO GREAT THINGS.
This weekend was the running of the Kentucky Derby, my mother’s favorite sporting event because of her childhood memories watching this annual race with her dad. I watch the Derby every year with memories of my mom. She would tear up with the singing of My Old Kentucky Home.
One of my favorite movies featured the greatest racehorse of all time, Secretariat. This year marked the fiftieth anniversary of Secretariat winning the Kentucky Derby in record time.
My recollection spurs more than just visions of athletic grace and greatness. It has encouraged me to be better at what God purposed for my life, loving first and loving most.
A BIG HEART CAN DO GREAT THINGS.
Secretariat was a horse with a big heart, literally and competitively. His heart was more than twice the size of a normal horse which aided his strength, stamina, and speed. Athletically, heart size is referred to as the X Factor in desire to win. Secretariat was the first horse in twenty-five years to win the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont), all in speed record times which still stand fifty years later.
SECRETARIAT TRIPLE CROWN WINNER
The legend began at the Kentucky Derby. Wearing blue and white colors, Secretariat took on the challengers. Coming around the first turn, he began passing horses in front of him as he moved from eighth position to right behind the favorite Sham.
As the horses raced into the home stretch heading for the finish line, Secretariat sprinted past the leader and won by 2.5 lengths in a new record time which still stands today, 1:59.25.
The champion thoroughbred ran every quarter of the race faster than the preceding one.
The second race of the Triple Crown at the Preakness was even more brilliant. Secretariat came out of the gate last, but immediately engaged in a full sprint, ignoring the safety warnings associated with the tight turns. His win in record time catapulted him into a cultural phenomenon.
Praised as a super-horse, Secretariat gained celebrity status among the fans, even featured on a Sports Illustrated cover.
The third race at Belmont was the most challenging, a graveyard for speed horses. This longer race favored the bigger and stronger Sham. The opponent’s strategy was to force Secretariat to start fast but falter due to lack of stamina.
Secretariat sprinted right out of the gate; he never stopped. The race was as legendary as it was dramatic. Secretariat and Sham took the lead, leaving the other horses far behind. The movie captured the race announcer’s voice calling Secretariat’s lead at six lengths, growing to eleven.
The broadcaster shouted Secretariat was moving like a “tremendous machine” leading by 17 lengths as he came around the turn. Onlookers were not watching a machine. This was the showcase manifestation of a big heart.
Strength. Stamina. Speed.
The spectators were on their feet, their voices thundered, the stadium began to shake. The movie captured the moment in SILENCE as the camera looked back from the finish line to the final turn awaiting the appearance of the horses.
The off-screen narration reflected on life in the context of athletic contests.
This is about life being ahead of you and you run at it! Because you never know how far you can run unless you run.
Time seemed frozen as everyone waited in anticipation for the climactic end of the race. Could Secretariat finish as strong and as swiftly as he began? How big is his heart?
The theatre speakers began to vibrate with the thunderous sounds of galloping legs pounding the turf as Secretariat appeared on the screen, coming around the final turn, headed for home and victory. The horse with the big heart appeared…all alone…fluid and fast…mighty and majestic.
Everything on the screen changed into classic movie slow motion as a voiceover narrated words from the #1 Textbook.
The horse rejoices in his strength and charges into battle. He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing. He does not shy away from the sword…In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground. He cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
My favorite part of the movie comes next as the music heightens as a choir’s beautiful voices stir the soul.
O Happy Day! O Happy Day! When Jesus washed my sins away. O Happy Day!
As the song continued, the race announcer’s voice filled the background. “Secretariat sprints toward the finish line…20 lengths in front, having run the first mile and a quarter faster than his Derby time. His lead increases to 25 . . .28 lengths.”
He taught me how to walk, fight and pray, and live rejoicing–everyday. O Happy Day!
Secretariat crossed the finish line in record time: 2 minutes and 24 seconds. Winning margin: 31 Lengths.
As the famous sportswriter, William Nack, penned, “As rhythmic as a rocking horse, Secretariat never missed a beat, a stunning portrait of grace and wonder. No fading. No faltering. No failure.”
This life is not about horses, but it is about heart. There is a race aspect to our lives. It is not a rat race or horse race. It is not even a competitive race with others to climb the ladder or be king of the mountain.
THE ETERENAL GOAL IS TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOD-CENTERED PURPOSE TO LOVE.
OUR LIFE VERSUS DEATH RACE IS DOWN TO TWO COMPETITORS. ONE IS A LIFE OF GOD-CENTERED LOVE FOR OTHERS. THE ONLY OPPOSITION THREATENING THE CHAMPION’S CROWN IS OUR SELF-CENTEREDNESS.
Self-centeredness is an untiring fierce competitor. The internal opponent will never quit. It must be defeated by a heart overflowing with God’s love. The bigger the heart, the greater we distance ourselves from this great adversary.
We learn to win that colossal race in life’s smaller things.
The X Factor reveals itself in times of testing. We discover limitless love for a spouse amidst changes from honeymoon bliss to vacation stress, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death and then beyond. Our heart grows to love others more in moments of spiritual disorientation, soap opera drama, or relational tension.
Make no mistake about this. The struggle to love is not caused by the other person’s selfishness, stubbornness, or stupidity. The greatest and only barrier to loving any other person is our self-centeredness.
Use your God-given big heart to love wholeheartedly. Shortcuts never help. Mediocre or half-hearted efforts will fail. Insincere actions will always lose. Good actions from an insincere heart miss the mark. Love First. Love Most. Feel the Beat.
God gave you a big heart, bigger than you have yet to realize. A big heart can do great things. God lives inside of us to lead us to others He intends to love through us.
SINCE GOD’S LOVE IS INFINITE, WE CAN ALWAYS STRETCH OUR LOVE FOR GOD AND FOR OTHERS TO WIDER, LONGER, HIGHER, DEEPER LEVELS.
This is a wonderful time to showcase a big heart in your relationships. Give more. Forgive more. Be more faithful. Never give up. Finish Strong. Love first. Love most. Then, with God’s help, love even more.
Small victories of love are extremely important. The goal is to win bigger. Leave the Sham of Self-centeredness behind in the dust. Break away. Run as hard as you can and then, with God’s help, run even harder. Put some ever-widening distance between love for others and your selfish futility.
Let your heart race faster and farther than ever before. Let the beat of your heart be seen, heard, and shared by others.
Listen and love to the beat of your big heart. Hear the roar of the angelic crowd urging you toward the earthly finish line as a stunning portrayal of grace, love, and wonder.
Love First and Love Most. Love Faster! Love Farther! No limits! No exceptions!
Finish Strong! No fading. No faltering. No failure.
LOVE FIRST...LOVE MOST 