Earlier this year at a bicycle race in France, something pretty crazy happened! The leading group of riders was sprinting toward the finish line when they took a wrong turn at a roundabout. Because they went the wrong way, a different rider who was further behind but going in the right direction ended up winning the race!

Can you imagine how those leading riders felt? They were so close to winning, but one wrong turn cost them everything!

The Christian life is like running in a long race. Someone called it “long-distance Christianity” because following Jesus isn’t just about making one good decision—it’s about making good choices day after day, year after year, for your whole life!

The goal isn’t just to start following Jesus; the goal is to finish strong! We want to get all the way to heaven still loving Jesus, still obeying His Word, and still helping others know Him.

Someone wrote, “God has a purpose in and for our aging. That purpose has to do with the hidden life of the Spirit so that, as the body grows older, our spirit may grow deeper and stronger.” That means as we get older, we should be getting better at following Jesus, not worse!

Think About It: In this race of following Jesus, what kinds of “wrong turns” might cause someone to get off track? Maybe hanging out with friends who don’t love God or choosing to watch movies and play games that fill your mind with bad things or gradually caring more about popularity than about pleasing God. How can you make sure you stay on the right path all the way to the finish line? Remember to keep your eyes on Jesus—He’s both the One who started your faith and the One who will help you finish strong!