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I had heard some about the great racehorse, Secretariat some when I was a boy but the first time he left an impression on me was when I read a book about great athletic performances as a teenager. It talked about the horse running a record-breaking time (still standing) at the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown. And I saw him highlighted again in 2005 by ESPN in their Who’ s No. 1? show for the “ Greatest Sports Performances.” Secretariat was the only non-human on the list and finished second to Wilt Chamberlain’ s who in 1962 scored 100-points in a basketball game against the NY Knicks.
I knew that Disney was releasing the story of Secretariat this month, but did not know it was directed by Randall Wallace (writer of Braveheart, Pearl Harbor, wrote and directed We Were Soldiers) and that Wallace is a believer from my father’ s hometown, Jackson, TN. Earlier this month a few of the Student Life staff and I were privileged to hear him share with us at the Catalyst conference in Atlanta, GA. (Ironically he was there on opening day of the film, which is a big deal.) After showing a clip of Braveheart, him talking about leadership, faith, heart and making a difference and ending with a clip of the Secretariat film, I leaned over to Drew Francis, one of our staff and said, let’s take all of the Student Life team to the movies and see it. After all I love the movies and we all love the power of a good story.
So yesterday, the Student Life staff trekked to the movies together, something teams should do more often. Not just go to the movies, but be community. It is important to not just show up to a building, do your job and leave. Invest yourself in the people the Lord has given you for this season of life…in the end our impact on people will last far longer than most tasks we take on.
“Run your race…”: words that stuck with me as I walked out the door and processed the story. Being a true story and knowing the outcome does not take away from the excitement. You could grab on to the aspect of believing even when others think the obstacles are too much, remembering who you are (your identity) or maybe even the refined strength of a woman taking on a male-dominated society. But at this moment, for me it was a matter of heart. It seems that that is what Penny Chenery (played by Diane Lane) saw in her horse, heart. While the horse looked magnificent on the exterior and had great bloodlines, it seemed that what separated Secretariat from all the horses in 1973 (many historians believe he was the greatest racehorse of all-time) was heart. As I thought of this my mind went to the words I was taught as a child out of 1 Samuel 16: “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.“ The great thing for Secretariat was he had both, he had the outward appearance, but in the end it was a matter of the heart. Makes me want to make sure my heart is healthy and strong. I hope not only the Lord, but the world, will see a heart that is unwilling to give up and unwilling to not run the race that is in front of me. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV) I hope that would be true of each of us as believers in Christ Jesus.
Secretariat died in 1989 at the age of 19 (horses run as a thoroughbred in the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness & Belmont Stakes as a 3-year old) and when they weighed his heart it was 22 lbs, which is almost three times as large as that of an average horse. He was mourned by millions as an American hero and buried whole in Kentucky. Typically just the head, heart and hooves of a winning racehorse are buried with the rest of the body being cremated.
I think it is safe to say that Secretariat ran his race and ran it well. Now it is our turn.
Footnote: Don’ t miss the closing song; It’ s Who You Are also written by Randall Wallace.
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