Chasing the Roadrunner

By Sarah and Chris Keenan

I loved Looney Tunes as a kid. 

Bugs Bunny? Hilarious.

Daffy Duck? 10 times better than Donald Duck.

Tasmanian Devil? The nickname for my current car.

Tweety Bird? Actually kind of annoying. And MALE? Did anyone else know this??

Marvin the Martian? Legendary.

Space Jam? Iconic. 

But my favorite Looney Tunes segments were always the ones with Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner. Coyote’s absurd, complex contraptions to catch Roadrunner (and the subsequent backfire of said contraptions) was the pinnacle of comedy for seven-year-old Sarah Bennion. I personally always rooted for Wile E. Coyote. The guy is trying the best he can, and he is consistently outmatched by a mindless bird. The laws of physics are against him. He can never catch that dang Roadrunner. 

So imagine my surprise when I found out there was an episode where Wile E. Coyote actually did catch the Roadrunner without him escaping immediately afterwards. 

Cue the triumphant music. The Coyote ecstatically pulls out utensils to devour the bird before recognizing that he is massively outgunned. The Roadrunner is several times times bigger than him and thus much too big to be eaten.

Wile E. Coyote turns to the audience and holds up two signs, stating, 

“Okay wise guys, you always wanted me to catch him. Now what do I do?”

As the episode concluded and “That’s all, folks!” appeared across my screen, I started thinking: What am I pursuing? What are the Roadrunners in my life? 

To me, the Roadrunner represents what Christ calls “treasures upon earth” (Matt. 6:19). This includes money, fame, recognition, pride, and other things that we will never completely “catch.” A wealthy man will always wish for more riches, just as Cristiano Ronoldo and Selena Gomez will always want more Instagram followers. The Roadrunner is goals without a satisfying end.

So how can we avoid chasing Roadrunners?

My father gave my husband two pieces of advice when he entered medical school:

1. Don’t forget to live and have joy now
2. Seek ye first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33)

He told Chris that there are people who spend their undergraduate focusing completely on medical school, pushing off church and family obligations until they get in. Then they will have time to be a good father and Christian. 

Then they get to medical school and they study hard to get a top residency and reason that they will have time for God and family once they have a good residency. After all, once they get a good residency, their career is set, right?  

Then they work to become the chief resident of their top residency. They arrive hours early and stay hours late. Their dream job is only months away if they will just keep up the pressure. 

Then, in their dream jobs, they work to become a senior partner, or enter administration, or get tenure, or publish a deeply impactful research paper. There is always another thing. 

Then one morning, they wake up in their 60’s with nothing. They have no relationship with their children, and they are a stranger before God. They never gave time to things that really mattered. They’ve finally caught their Roadrunner and are left thinking, “Now what do I do?”

Christ taught “where our treasure is, there will our heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). He further said that “If our eye be single our whole body shall be full of light” (Matt. 6:22). What do I think about when I have nothing to think about? What is my treasure? 

There is only one true treasure free of regret. 

Christ taught “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33). 

Putting the kingdom of God before earthly pursuits is an act of supreme faith, and it carries enormous blessings. 

So this week we should consider the lilies, who aren’t bustlingly busy, who just face the Sun with bodies full of light.

This week, let’s look away from the Roadrunner for a moment and spend some time on the things that matter most. 

--

Looney Tunes photos by Chuck Jones

Sermon on the mount painting: 

James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Jesus Teaches the People by the Sea (Jésus enseigne le peuple près de la mer), 1886-1896. Opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper, Image: 6 11/16 x 9 1/4 in. (17 x 23.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.90 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 00.159.90_PS1.jpg)

Lillies photo by Pixabay