PODCAST
The Last Will Be First
September 26th, 2025
James 5:13-20.
During a triathlon final in 2016, Alistair Brownlee came to the last 400 meters of the race and found Jonny, his brother and fellow racer, suffering from the heat. Instead of passing him by, he put his arm over Jonny’s shoulder and ran with him, helping Jonny over the finish line, where they placed second and third.
When we are racing through life, it can be tempting to see others living in sin with judgment or apathy. The call of the church is to give up its place in the race for the sake of the stumbling brother or sister. We are to live like Jesus, who loved us while we were still sinners by laying His life down for us and for our salvation.
This is the way of Jesus, to think of others in the race of life as brothers and sisters, not as opponents. When we take time to help our stumbling neighbor and lead them to Jesus, we put ourselves last. We take time to slow down and tend to our neighbors, friends, and even our enemies as we love them with grace.
This is victory, Jesus says; the last will be first.
Author: Austin Troyer
