Monday, May 30, 2011

NASCAR and the things I learned

Yesterday, I went to my first NASCAR event, the Coca Cola 600.  It is billed as the biggest Memorial Day Weekend celebration.  I believe it.  You could not leave the pre-race events without knowing that everyone there, appreciated our country and those who have given their lives to protect our freedom.  So before I begin, let me say thank you to all who have served our country and especially those who gave their lives ensuring and protecting our freedom.

I have lived in the backyard of the speedway for over 25 years and have never been to a race until yesterday.  It was fun, especially watching the people.  For the life of me, I cannot figure out why someone would think that waving at their favorite driver or signaling their hated driver with one finger, while a car is going by them at 200 MPH makes a difference.  By the time you got your hand up, the driver was already passed turn two.  And I am sure at 200 MPH the driver is watching the stands, NOT.  But if it makes them feel better, more power to them.

What I learned the most is the truth of what everyone had already told me.  You cannot appreciate the race, watching it on TV.   You really do not see how fast the cars are running watching a television.  You do not see the power of the cars and the drivers' mastery over them until you have been to the race.  I am amazed at all that I saw.

Which leads me to what I learned.  When you watch a race from a distance (via TV), you are not drawn to it.  It is only up close that you appreciate all that is involved.  Maybe that is our problem as a church.  We keep lostness at a distance.  We create our own Christian world with our friends and very rarely interact with lost people.  When we separate ourselves from them, we see them only from a distance.  From a distance, we are not drawn into their lives to find ways to share Christ.  Maybe it is time we find some lost friends to interact with them so that we can share Christ.

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