A man born on September 29, 1941, became the world’s heaviest human at about 1400 pounds. A medical condition caused his body to store excess extracellular fluid in the amount of about 900 pounds. When he was a patient in the hospital, he lost about 924 pounds on a 1200 calorie per day diet, over a 16-month period. This was the largest known human weight loss, but after he left the hospital, he gained back to 924 pounds, and at the time of his death he weighed 798 pounds.
Losing weight is a common topic in the conversation of many people in our world today. Maintaining a healthy weight is a worthy goal and is often prescribed by medical doctors. In “Words from Above” in the Bible, the apostle Paul encourages us in Hebrews 12:1 to consider the many examples he mentioned in Hebrews 11 of men and women who demonstrated great faith in God. He suggests that in order to follow these examples, there are some steps that we can take.
The first of these steps is to “lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets us, and run with patience the race that is set before us.” Paul is comparing the journey of faith in Jesus Christ to the running of a race. Most runners who want to give themselves the best chance of winning a race will wear the very lightest of clothing. They are laying aside as much extra weight as possible that would otherwise slow them down and get in the way of winning the race. He also says that runners lay aside any sins that reduce their chances of winning the race toward heaven, or of finishing nearer to the front of the pack.
Paul also says that runners need to run with patience, suggesting that they “pace” themselves along the way. Using up all their energy at the beginning of the race often prevents runners from finishing the race at all. In our journey of faith, it is advisable to avoid “getting burned out” by going at a steady pace. Steady and continued growth is far better than many little spurts of growth that do not continue and do not last.
Paul also talks about “looking to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith.” What he is saying is that Jesus helps us get started in the faith, and that Jesus wants us to complete the journey. He tells us in Philippians 3 that he personally always “pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” There is no prize for runners who stop running.
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.
