The Rat Race

'In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.' Proverbs 16:9

'Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it' 1 Timothy 6:6-7.

 

The Rat Race is a perennial struggle of human beings to get to the top. It is a endless competition to get ahead at all cost. This expression was introduced in the 1930 to describe a exhausting, pressured urban life spent in trying to get ahead with little time for rest. Here is a tragic depiction of modern society in a cartoon feature by Steve Curtis entitled Rat Race.

The Rat race runners try to burn the candle at both ends, they are always busy, busy, busy. It is an incessant push for success. Centuries ago King Solomon condemned it as an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. Since then, we have not learnt from the wisdom of Solomon.

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon spoke of the uselessness and monotony of everyday life. He used the term 'under the sun' when he described that life as useless (Ecc 1:3). One can interpret this term 'under the sun' as life on earth. Solomon said in Ecc 1:4, "You spend your life working and what do you have to show for it."

Charles Swindoll in his bible study guide on the Book of Ecclesiastes entitled 'Living On The Ragged Edge' (Ref 1) gave a realistic appraisal of this futile race

• People Living Under Oppressive Conditions. Ecc 4:1 'Then I looked again at all the injustice that goes on in this world. The oppressed were weeping and no one would help them.'

• People Living Under Aggressive Competition Ecc 4:4 'I have also learnt why people work so hard to succeed: it is because  they envy their neighbours. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind.' 

Charles Swindoll wrote, 'Solomon is not referring to healthy, ethical competition. What he has in mind is the one-on-one rivalry of pushing, fighting and clawing - the vicious determination of two people to outdo one another at any cost.'

The saddest insanity of all is the man who is alone without any relatives or children labouring endlessly to make his millions to leave to nobody. Ecc 4:7-8 'I have noticed something else in life that is useless. Here is a man who lives alone. he has no son, no brother, yet he is always working never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless too and a miserable way to live.' Here is a perfect picture of someone who is enslaved to the Rat Race, the pursuit of wealth.

But Solomon in the Book of Ecclesiastes did not paint just doom and gloom. Yes, the book exposes the realities of life but it qualified this by making the claim that this is only true when applied to an existence without God. The only way to get out of this cycle of futility of life is to believe in God and to live as He intended for us.

In the same way, the young people would do well to prevent themselves entering the Rat Race by believing in God early. 'Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, I find no pleasure in life' Ecc 12:1.

Living God's way as a Christian does not automatically mean we will have no struggle with life. Life was difficult for the early Christians and also for some today. Nevertheless we are told to persevere. Indeed Christians enter a different race of endurance and keeping the faith despite hardships and even persecution for some. 

St Paul told the young disciple, Timothy, 'Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs but tries to please his commanding officer' 2 Timothy 2:3-4. 

Like a soldier under discipline we do not get entangled in the rat race or be sucked into the lures of this world. 'Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs' 1 Timothy 6:9-10. Ecc 4:4 and 6 advised 'it is better to have a little, with peace of mind, than to be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind'.

We may plan all we like but eventually God will direct our paths. So what is God's way? In Ecclesiastes 9:11a, Solomon advised, "I have seen something else under the sun; the race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance overtake them all" Yes while man proposes God disposes and He has a way of leveling even the best plans of clever, powerful and assertive people. 

Hence St Paul advised young Timothy, "But you, man of God, flee from this and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life for which you are called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses" 1 Timothy 6:11-12.

Many people run the Rat Race but Christians should walk with Jesus. Enjoy this song, Just A Closer Walk With Thee.

I am weak but Thou art strong

Jesus keep me from all wrong

I'll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee

Just a closer walk with Thee

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea

Daily walking close to Thee

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be 

Through this world of toil and snares,

If I falter, Lord, who cares?

Who with me my burden shares?

None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

When my feeble life is o’er,

Time for me will be no more;

Guide me gently, safely o’er

To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

 

Lionel

Ref 1: Charles R Swindoll. Living on the Ragged Edge - Coming to terms with Reality, Insight for Living, 1976