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).