Up and down Franklin Turnpike he goes. Back and forth. To and fro. Day after day. I see him most often along that 4-mile stint of 41 from Mount Hermon Baptist Church to Piney Forest Road. Sometimes, I see him quite a ways up Piney Forest, up near Mary’s Diner and even beyond. There he is. Day in, day out. Rain or shine. Hot or cold. Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn. In his baseball cap, Orkin T-shirt and/or UVA hooded sweatshirt.
He walks…and he walks…and he walks…and he walks…and he walks. I don’t know him. I’ve never met him. But I always take note of him. He’s always moving. He never stops. Never pauses. Never hesitates. He’s like a perpetual motion machine. Nothing ever deters him from his mission of mobility as he scoots on down the road at a rapid clip.
He must have one of the best cardiovascular systems in town. Certainly some of the strongest legs. And toughest feet. Walking, to say the least, is a passion--if not an obsession--for this man.
As I saw him again just today, I thought about a baseball player of yore named Eddie Yost. Back in the 1950s, Eddie Yost was the third baseman for the old Washington Senators major league baseball team. He played for the Senators for several years until they traded him to make room for some young kid coming up named Harmon Killebrew. (For those unfamiliar, Killebrew became one the greatest sluggers in baseball history during the 1960s and 1970s. But, that's a rabbit trail I can chase another day!)
He walks…and he walks…and he walks…and he walks…and he walks. I don’t know him. I’ve never met him. But I always take note of him. He’s always moving. He never stops. Never pauses. Never hesitates. He’s like a perpetual motion machine. Nothing ever deters him from his mission of mobility as he scoots on down the road at a rapid clip.
He must have one of the best cardiovascular systems in town. Certainly some of the strongest legs. And toughest feet. Walking, to say the least, is a passion--if not an obsession--for this man.
As I saw him again just today, I thought about a baseball player of yore named Eddie Yost. Back in the 1950s, Eddie Yost was the third baseman for the old Washington Senators major league baseball team. He played for the Senators for several years until they traded him to make room for some young kid coming up named Harmon Killebrew. (For those unfamiliar, Killebrew became one the greatest sluggers in baseball history during the 1960s and 1970s. But, that's a rabbit trail I can chase another day!)Anyway, Yost was not known for his hitting. Rather, he was known for his incredibly high on-base percentage. (For you non-baseball fans, that means he got on base a lot, even without necessarily getting a lot of hits. How? By walks. Or, as they’re officially called in baseball parlance, “bases on balls.”) Eddie 
Yost wasn’t a great hitter, per se, but he had a keen eye. And he possessed great patience. And thus, better than most batters, he knew what pitches NOT to swing at. And, thus, he was very hard for pitchers to get out. For many years, Eddie Yost led the American League in walks. He’s also among the top 10 players in baseball history in terms of lifetime walks. Most of the other guys on that list were great hitters and household names. Guys like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle. But Eddie just got walks. Hence, he became known by the moniker “The Walking Man.” And that’s what I call the guy who treks up and down Highway 41. Again, I don’t know his real name, but “The Walking Man” just kind of fits him. So, whenever I’m driving along and I see him speed-stepping down the sidewalk, I say to myself, “Hey, there goes The Walking Man again!”
As I was reflecting on all of this, I was reminded that one of the most commonly used terms in the New Testament for the Christian life is the word “walk”. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, repeatedly wrote about the importance of our walk in Christ. Biblically speaking, our walk has to do with our conduct, our demeanor, our witness before a watching world. As people
traveling along the roadway of life glance our way, what do they see? Do they see us walking at a steady pace, on the straight and narrow, with a sense of direction and purpose? Or do they see us stumbling and falling, stopping and starting, ambling along uncertainly as if we really don’t know where we’re headed? The manner in which we walk is vitally important.
Walking is indeed a good illustration of the Christian life. For it’s true that we’re all on a journey. And that journey has a destination. The journey is long, and it has its ups and down, hills and valleys. But the most important thing to remember is this: It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. And it’s important to finish well. Thus, it's good to note that the journey of life is not a 100-yard dash. It’s a marathon. So, the goal is not to be a flash-in-the-pan, but a strong finisher. And the key to finishing strong is consistency and commitment.
Yost wasn’t a great hitter, per se, but he had a keen eye. And he possessed great patience. And thus, better than most batters, he knew what pitches NOT to swing at. And, thus, he was very hard for pitchers to get out. For many years, Eddie Yost led the American League in walks. He’s also among the top 10 players in baseball history in terms of lifetime walks. Most of the other guys on that list were great hitters and household names. Guys like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle. But Eddie just got walks. Hence, he became known by the moniker “The Walking Man.” And that’s what I call the guy who treks up and down Highway 41. Again, I don’t know his real name, but “The Walking Man” just kind of fits him. So, whenever I’m driving along and I see him speed-stepping down the sidewalk, I say to myself, “Hey, there goes The Walking Man again!”As I was reflecting on all of this, I was reminded that one of the most commonly used terms in the New Testament for the Christian life is the word “walk”. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, repeatedly wrote about the importance of our walk in Christ. Biblically speaking, our walk has to do with our conduct, our demeanor, our witness before a watching world. As people
traveling along the roadway of life glance our way, what do they see? Do they see us walking at a steady pace, on the straight and narrow, with a sense of direction and purpose? Or do they see us stumbling and falling, stopping and starting, ambling along uncertainly as if we really don’t know where we’re headed? The manner in which we walk is vitally important.
Walking is indeed a good illustration of the Christian life. For it’s true that we’re all on a journey. And that journey has a destination. The journey is long, and it has its ups and down, hills and valleys. But the most important thing to remember is this: It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. And it’s important to finish well. Thus, it's good to note that the journey of life is not a 100-yard dash. It’s a marathon. So, the goal is not to be a flash-in-the-pan, but a strong finisher. And the key to finishing strong is consistency and commitment. How are you walking? Is it time for you to pick up the pace? Do you need to get refocused on the goal? Do you need to be 
reminded of what the whole journey is about and why you got into it in the first place? Not quite sure how to get going again? Remember what the Apostle Peter said: “…Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21). Wow! That's good to know, isn't it? Someone has already charted the path for us. We simply have to put on our spiritual shoes and follow Him, one step at a time.
So from now on, whenever you’re driving down 41 and you see the The Walking Man doing his fancy footwork, let his pedestrian passion be a continuing reminder of the daily spiritual walk to which Jesus has called you.
Pedestrian...er, Pastor Danny
reminded of what the whole journey is about and why you got into it in the first place? Not quite sure how to get going again? Remember what the Apostle Peter said: “…Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21). Wow! That's good to know, isn't it? Someone has already charted the path for us. We simply have to put on our spiritual shoes and follow Him, one step at a time.So from now on, whenever you’re driving down 41 and you see the The Walking Man doing his fancy footwork, let his pedestrian passion be a continuing reminder of the daily spiritual walk to which Jesus has called you.
Pedestrian...er, Pastor Danny
