In the end it’s not how many steps we take, but where those steps take us, that matters most.
There’s a little contest going on at my school. It involves how many steps someone can take in a day. There are teams. The team with the most steps at the end of the contest wins. It’s pretty straightforward and it’s a fun way to encourage each other to move around more. There was a similar contest last year. I didn’t participate.
First of all, I don’t have one of those little step counter watches that everyone is wearing these days. I know they are super cool and trendy, but they remind me of 1980’s fashion and I’ve been there and done that. Secondly, I’m just not very competitive. I exercise because I have to to stay fit, not because I get great joy out of it and I’m certainly not going to devote entire weekends of running or swimming, so I can get a shirt.
But, this time, there was a team that was short and so I reluctantly agreed to participate. The tricky part is, I have to carry my cell phone everywhere I go if I want credit for my steps. My embarrassingly low numbers are evidence that I often leave it behind.
I’m sure by the time the contest is finished, I’ll be carrying it around as reliably as a mama kangaroo and her joey.
But, as I was lamenting about the situation the other day, it occurred to me that just because my steps don’t get recorded on my phone, doesn’t mean that I didn’t take them. Just because they don’t count in the contest, doesn’t mean that I’m not more aware of the need to move more.
We are currently living in a social media crazed, show me, world. We may go on the most spectacular vacation of our lives, but if there are no pictures posted, was it less spectacular?
As Christians, our faith calls us to something entirely different. The Bible even tells us, “But, when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6
Our work contest reminds me that I probably need to be more physically active, and that’s a good thing, but it also reminds me that instead of counting my steps, I really need to focus on making my steps count. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂