How You Start Doesn’t Matter If You Don’t Finish Well

The recently completed Summer Olympics filled me with very mixed emotions. I’ve always enjoyed the pageantry of the games, the thrill of victory converging with the agony of defeat, and the opportunity to exude patriotic pride by rooting for U.S. competitors. All the world coming together on a single stage, finely tuned athletes vying for their moments of fame.

 

But the heightened politicization of the games has become a turn-off. I’m like the person that doesn’t want different foods to touch on her plate. I like my sports to be solely about sports, untainted by political posturing and ideologies. The “east is east and west is west, and never the twain shall meet” perspective.

 

Nevertheless, I watched enough of the competition to reaffirm an underlying principle: It’s not about how you start, but how you finish. Whether in gymnastics, where a beautiful routine on the balance beam can be spoiled by a poor dismount; a runner who leads the pack early on but falters toward the end of a race; or a beach volleyball team that wins the opening set but loses momentum and drops a match – it’s all about finishing well.

One of the most thrilling events was a relay race in swimming. A team trailed going into the final leg, but then the star swimmer leaped into the pool, slowly gaining on the leader until he secured the victory in the final meters. It’s all about the finish.

 

For most of us, the closest we’ll ever get to the Summer or Winter Olympics is our couch or recliner, watching the competition in glorious, digital color on our TVs. But we’re all engaged in a race – the race of life. The marks we leave, our legacies, will be determined not by how well we started or how noble our intentions were, but how we finished. 

 

We can all think of people – family members, friends, or famous individuals – who failed to finish well. Celebrities, public officials, business executives, even Christian leaders who captured the admiration of many during their lives only to have their reputations sullied, even destroyed, by moral or ethical failures exposed after their deaths. 

 

How do we ensure a good finish to our lives? That’s a question that, with the passing of years, I ask again and again. I doubt anyone would want an epitaph to read, “Started well…but his (or her) finish? Not so good.”

 

We can turn to the world of sports for clues to finishing well. Because no athlete excels, especially at such a high level as the Olympics, without certain key qualities to propel their performance. Here are some of them, along with some biblical principles we all can apply for successfully finish life’s race:

 

Following the rules. Each sport has basic rules each athlete must follow. Failure to abide by them results in defeat or disqualification. “…if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2:5).

 

Persevering despite obstacles. Adversity is a fact of life; the key is to persevere and push through, no matter how great the challenge. “…one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

 

Avoiding distractions. Top athletes can become tempted by many things that deter them from their mission. They must avoid anything that doesn’t help in achieving their goals. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1)

 

Maintaining a clear focus. Every athlete knows that to succeed requires intense concentration, developing a tunnel vision that focuses on the desired end result. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

 

Refusing to quit. Giving up, no matter how near or far the finish line may be, guarantees failure. Tiredness, setbacks and discouragement happen, but they don’t justify quitting. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

 

Remaining resolute. One reason for failure is forgetting the motivation for putting in all the hard work, the sacrifice and effort. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Rejoicing in a strong finish.When determined athletes reach the finish line, whether they win or not, they can celebrate as long as they’ve given it their best. No regrets.“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). 

How’s Your ‘Bucket List’ Coming Along?

One of my favorite films, especially having reached “senior years,” is “The Bucket List,” about two aging men (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) with one thing in common. They’re both coping with terminal cancer. After striking up an unlikely friendship, they develop a mutual “bucket list” – things to accomplish before they “kick the bucket.” The film watches them check items off the list.

What's in your 'bucket'?

I’ve never compiled an actual bucket list, but have had the pleasure of accomplishing lots of things I would have put on it, had I bothered to compile one. There are the obvious choices, like finding a loving wife, along having great kids and grandkids; a rewarding career that I have considered successful; and finding meaning and purpose in life, which have largely come through my faith. 

Then there are more discretionary items I have  checked off my imaginary bucket list, like seeing the Grand Canyon (twice); visiting Disney World (multiple times); traveling outside the USA (again, a number of times); meeting some famous people (including Archie Griffin, Woody Hayes, Jack Nicklaus, Jesse Owens – are you seeing a Scarlet and Gray trend here?); and helping people along their spiritual journey.

But two things I’ve never wanted to include on a bucket list are running in a marathon and competing in a triathlon, basically a marathon plus water and a bicycle. I’m more anchor than swimmer, so triathlons were scratched off the list before they could be added. And frankly, I’d never be willing to commit to the time and effort required to do either. 

You don’t just bounce out of bed one morning and declare, “I’m running a marathon (or doing a triathlon) today!” They take months of preparation, mentally as well as physically. It takes incredible determination and discipline, training whether you feel like it or not, being willing to forgo eating the wrong foods, and maintaining a mindset that you’re willing to do whatever it takes.

Then again, from a spiritual perspective my life for the past 40-plus years has amounted to a real-life, every day marathon. It’s been said so often it’s become a cliché, but it’s true: The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. At times you might find yourself going a bit faster and the course seems smooth; at other times the path gets extremely rough and you’re coming almost to a halt, maybe even taking steps backward. But with God’s strength and relying on His grace, you keep moving.

The apostle Paul liked metaphors of athletic sacrifice and the long-distance run. Writing to believers in the church at the Greek city of Philippi, he said, “…I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

Just as marathon runners midway through a race don’t dwell on what they were doing at the three-mile mark, in our spiritual lives we also must be willing to forget our failings, the “woulda’s, coulda’s and shoulda’s” of our lives, and concentrate on where we are presently in our walk with the Lord and where we believe He wants us to go.

Among the most heartening scenes during any marathon or triathlon is the crowd lined up throughout the route, some folks cheering on friends and family members, others providing refreshment as competitors continue along the way. It must be tremendously encouraging for runners to know they’re not alone. 

The Bible says the same about our spiritual journey: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1).

I’m not certain exactly who this “cloud of witnesses” consists of, whether it means fellow believers we encounter from day to day or perhaps, those who have already gone passed from this life. In any event, isn’t it great to know we have “cheerleaders” exhorting us? “Keep it up!” “Don’t give up!” “You can do this!” “The Lord is with you!”

One day each of us will reach the end of our personal marathon. In a final letter to Timothy, his young protégé, Paul also wrote, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and he time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:6-7). The apostle, nearing the end of his earthly life and ministry, felt confident of finishing well. Having endured great opposition, adversity and near-death experiences, he could at last see the race’s end.

How did Paul succeed in doing this? I think we find the answer in another book; we don’t know its author for sure, but it must have reflected his motivation: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

Finishing well in your marathon of faith: Is that on your bucket list? Are your eyes fixed on Jesus?

Succeeding at Finishing a Life Well-Lived

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

These words were penned by the apostle Paul toward the end of his life, sent to his young protégé, Timothy. But they could just as easily have been authored by Dr. Billy Graham, who last week passed from this life into the next at the age of 99. It’s hard to think of another human who had as much influence on as many lives as did Dr. Graham during his ministry of more than six decades.

Dr. Billy Graham, faithful to the end.

Even though his evangelistic ministry came to an end years ago, and before then had been curtailed sharply because of declining health, there remain millions of men and women around the world who can trace the beginnings of their spiritual journey to attending one of the Billy Graham crusades. Through those meetings, his TV and radio broadcasts, and many books, Dr. Graham was steadfast to the end in affirming that Jesus’ declaration was true when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The revered evangelist cut through denominational, social, cultural, ethnic and even political boundaries, remaining true to his call to preach the gospel to peoples in all nations, a mission he began in the 1940s. For many years Dr. Graham ranked at or near the top of lists of the most-admired people in the world, but it wasn’t an honor that affected him.

I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Graham once, in the early 1990s. He was a guest speaker at a convention of the Evangelical Press Association in Asheville, N.C. As a member of the EPA board, I had joined other directors at the head table and we greeted him as he arrived, one at a time.

What impressed me most about Dr. Graham was not his stature, although he was a tall man, nor his resonant voice. It was his humility. As a journalist for many years, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many famous people. In the majority cases, I’ve had the sense they were thinking, “What a pleasure it is for you to meet me!” But not with Dr. Graham. He and I talked perhaps for two minutes, but he looked straight in my eyes and for that brief moment, showed genuine interest in me, not simply shrugging me off as one of the countless millions with whom he had shaken hands over the years.

Billy Graham, of course, was just a man, not some superhero. But perhaps more than anyone I have encountered in life – more than most of us might encounter in life – he exemplified what the apostle Paul declared to an eclectic bunch of Greek listeners at the famed Areopagus, “For in him [Jesus Christ] we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

One of the most difficult things, if not THE most difficult thing, for followers of Jesus Christ to accomplish in their lives is to finish well. Anyone can get off to a good start, doing and saying the right things as they embark on their walk with Christ. But many fall by the wayside – some quickly, others many years later. Dr. Graham, however, succeeded. He finished well.

In another letter toward the end of his ministry, the apostle wrote, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Dr. Billy Graham has reached his goal and won the prize; he didn’t stop before reaching the finish line. One day, may the same be said of us. 

Will You Be ‘Good to the Last Drop’?

Remember the old Maxwell House coffee commercial and its motto, “Good to the last drop”? Even if you don’t – I think it’s been years since they used that ad slogan – if you look at the labels of Maxwell House coffees, you’ll still see the image of a tilted coffee cup releasing its last drop.

Coffee, and life, should be
"good to the last drop."

I mention this not to promote a particular caffeine producer – don’t mean to slight the Folgers, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, or McDonald’s folks – but the last drop concept seems a fitting metaphor for a life that’s been well-lived.

Without intending to seem morbid, I remember several people over my lifetime who literally dropped dead while engaged in some type of activity. One was cutting grass, another had laid down for a quick nap, and yet another was in the middle of his daily jog. There have been others, but a common denominator of the three individuals I cite is they were still actively involved in serving their Lord when their days on earth abruptly came to an end.

Nearing the close of another decade myself, this raises a question I hope to answer in the affirmative: “Will I finish well?” I used to think such a consideration was reserved only for men and women well into their senior years. But I’ve come to realize the secret to a life that’s “good to the last drop” is striving to make the best of every day we have, whether we’re 18, 28, 48 or 88.

Sadly, I’ve also known people who failed to finish well. Whose “last drop” wasn’t all that good. They got off to a good start – like the field at the start of a NASCAR race, all bright and shiny, no dents. Full of energy. Then somewhere along the line they spun out, had a flat tire and banged against the wall, or drove to the pits and never came back out.

Ah, but I mix my metaphors. Did you ever find yourself enjoying a nice cup of coffee…until the end, when the last sip filled your mouth with a bunch of grounds? Yuck! One of our regular coffee places – it shall remain nameless – has a nasty habit of including little coffee crunchies in its hazelnut blend. Some things I like crunchy, but not my coffee. So, I have great appreciation for brews that are good to the last drop – as well as lives.

Why is it that some start their lives – and their walk of faith – strong, continue with consistency and finish well, while others don’t? The problem, it seems, isn’t so much with the ending as it is with the beginning. J.D. Greear recently made this observation: “Faith that fizzles before the finish was flawed from the first.” His alliteration is clever, but the meaning is profound.

Perhaps that is why the apostle Paul encouraged believers in the church at Colossae, “having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude” (Colossians 2:7). Just as a plant must be firmly rooted to grow properly, faith also must be deeply rooted into Jesus Christ as the foundation.

Writing to his protégé, Timothy, Paul also exhorted, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Rather than being guided by feelings, whims, or even the opinions of others, Paul taught Timothy to anchor himself in the timeless, changeless truths of the Scriptures.

Heeding his own advice, the apostle could say near the end of his life, “…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). This kind of resolve can’t be established by someone “prepping for the finals.” It’s a lifelong pursuit. If not already underway, it must start now.

How are you progressing in the quest to ensure your life is “good to the last drop”?