The Middle Matters
Between two major endpoints lies the middle. The middle is that place that you plan on only passing through because it’s after the start and before the finish! We are always trying to cut the middle down, out, or at least shorten it. If you are a “middle man” your life exists only because others allow it…people are always out to cut out the middle man to get to a cheaper deal. It’s no fun sitting in the middle seat, it may be tough being the middle child, and being middle-aged? Whew. The middle is transitory but it’s so, so, difficult!
Having started and finished many races I have passed through many middles. Now I guide teenagers in their pursuits of running glory and am constantly monitoring the middle and pushing, pulling, and prodding them to start well, finish fast, but most importantly run the middle! The start is crucial and finish full of glory but the middle matters.
The start has so much promise; both with races and other aspects of life. I remember starting a retail business and just crushing hours and energy to BUILD something. It was all consuming and yet exhilarating. How about starting a family? There’s zero sleep, you’re making decisions, changing diapers, and you’re taking care of someone that literally needs all the help you can offer. The starting line of a race? It’s loud and full of nervous energy. I remember the start of the Hawaii Ironman and the fever pitch of drums pounding while 3000 of us tread water in the Pacific. The scene was intense, the emotion overwhelming, and my heartrate spiked while going absolutely nowhere! The start of anything has promise and eager anticipation that can’t be matched.
The finish brings another set of emotions. Seeing the finish line means the conclusion of a journey, a path, or a goal. It’s where sweat and dedication are measured and the job is finished well. The finish lines I’ve crossed meant I could stop and rest. Sweet, sweet, rest.
And yet the middle is where most of the race is run. There would be no connection between the start and the finish if there wasn’t a middle experience, a middle journey, or someone willing to carry the ball up the middle, through the middle and for the middle. I’ll say it again; the middle matters.
We have to run the middle. Those middle miles of parenting matter because it’s where love and lessons are shown. The middle miles of being a friend matter; who doesn’t need a friend and a hug in the middle of a journey? The middle miles of a career matter because it’s where you spend a lot of your time and energy. The middle miles that you can’t even put your finger on even matter because it’s still part of a sometimes hidden and doubtful process. The middle might seem mundane but you can’t get to the end without it.
I’ve learned to embrace the middle although I still have my moments. It’s not easy. But long ago someone else stood in the middle and connected us to a future that we could never attain on our own. His middle was time spent on earth and the finish line appeared to be a forever death. Jesus embraced the middle, ran the race, and crossed a finish line only to show all of us that we have something to live for that’s beyond the finish line on earth! We are supposed to run the middle! The middle is where we get to see and meet the needs of others. Use our gifts. Connect with others and add the “special sauce” that only you can bring to humanity. The middle looks different for every person but it’s where we are the conduit for Jesus’ work on earth. It’s not just about starting and finishing. It’s making the middle meaningful for others to see, learn from, and to experience encouragement.
