Treadmill Faith

We recently finished the evangalism series at church entitled "Every Believer a Witness". Real world, hands-on application of how to get out of our cozy little worlds. Perhaps it was the freshness of the subject matter that prompted this post as I was a sweaty, exhausted mess. I like to run. I run several times a week. Depending on the time and weather I alternate running on a treadmill and outside. While cruising along on setting number 8 the other night some issues from the church series collided with some running issues. If you've ever run on a treadmill you may know that it is much easier that actually running. I'm no physicist but Im sure the basis for this is the fact that you're not creating any inertia or momentum. You're simply running in place while the road moves under your feet. Sound familiar church? Then there are the surrounding factors. Usually while I'm running there is no one else around which may or may not be worse than when those around me are doing exactly the same thing, dressed the same and concerned with little more than how they look or who they can impress. We're all making great strides (pun intended) doing alot of work, sweating, grunting and the like. But when it's all over, I'm still in the same spot, seen the same people and experienced nothing more than the last 12 times I ran on "the mill". Contrast this to when I get out and hit the road. Yes, I deal with the elements; head wind, water, pot-holes, searing heat and humidity that requires Gatorade injections. All of which make the run a little less comfortable not to mention that the road is not moving. I have to supply the energy. I have to make things go if I want to get somewhere. But when I do I experience all sorts of things. New sites and sounds. Other runners, people gardening, crazy dogs and crazier kids. Sometimes there are hills(very small ones-Lowcountry remember), sometimes curves. Who knew the road wouldn't be straight? Strangly this doesn't make me stop or turn back. It's the hills and turns that make it all the more fun. All of these "diversions" also serve to make the time go by quicker. No clock or odometer to deter the eye. Just the real world. Just me covering ground, working hard and getting out there away from a sterile environment. Maybe this correlates with the Church and our fear outside our comfort zone or maybe it doesn't. Either way, we should all strive for dirty shoes.