As I watched 7 softball games in one tournament weekend, I noticed a pattern.  When it came time to run from third base to home to score, there were two kinds of runners. The tentative runners saw the coach give the sign to head for home, but hesitated. It may have been just a second to double-check the location of the ball or a distracted glance over the shoulder, but those slight hesitations almost always prevented the runners from getting home before the ball, from scoring the run, from finishing well.

Then there were the focused runners. Once the coach gave them the sign, the focused runners saw nothing but home plate. They trusted the coach’s voice that sent them. Once they bolted for home, nothing could deter them from their goal. And these were the runners who succeeded, who finished well, who made it home — safe.

When it comes to running the Christian race for our heavenly home, what kind of runners are we? Are we easily distracted from where God has called us or sent us? Do we trust the Coach’s voice expressed through the Bible or in prayer, or do we feel it necessary to check with friends and get multiple opinions to find one we like? How intent are we on getting home to hear the words “Well done good and faithful servant”?

Let us fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18) Let us fix our eyes on “Home” and at the end of our run, we are sure to hear a resounding, “Safe!”