My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race . . . they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.
John Stephen Akhwari

In 1968 Akhwari journeyed from Tanzania to Mexico City to seek to win an Olympic medal for his country. Nearing the halfway point of the race, he was involved in a terrible collision with several other runners causing him to suffer a badly gashed knee and a bruised shoulder. He was advised to pull out of the race, but his sense of honor overcame the intense pain he was feeling. When he arrived at the Olympic stadium it was dark and most of the crowd had already left. He crossed the finish line about an hour after the winner to the applause of those still in the stadium.

A strong start is good, but a great finish is epic. Billy Sunday reminds us, “Stopping at third adds no more to the score than striking out. It doesn’t matter how well you start if you fail to finish.” The Apostle Paul is a worthy example of finishing well,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7)

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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