Vroom!

At Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia, NASCAR drivers entered their final lap. Just moments remained. Ross Chastain was in tenth place.

To reach the NASCAR championship, he would need to act fast.

An idea popped into his mind. He used to play a game called NASCAR 2005 on the Nintendo GameCube. In the game, drivers could ride against the wall to boost speed. They could slingshot around the turns.

NASCAR drivers joked about trying for real. One even tried and failed. But just maybe . . .

Mr. Chastain shifted gears. He slammed his race car against the wall. He took his hands off the wheel and stomped the gas pedal.

The announcers couldn’t believe it. Neither could the crowds. Mr. Chastain’s car zoomed around the curves so fast it almost looked fake. He zipped past five other cars and across the finish line. He made it into the championship.

A video clip of the moment went viral. People watched it on social media over 12.5 million times. The move drew almost as much attention as the championship. Even people who don’t usually watch NASCAR wanted to see.

But not everyone cheered.

Some NASCAR drivers call the move unsportsmanlike. They think Mr. Chastain broke the rules. They worry others will copy his wall-hugging strategy. Some call the move reckless. They point out the damage Mr. Chastain could have caused.

The Bible compares the Christian life to a race. (Hebrews 12:1) In that race, the easy path can lead to destruction. God’s way often takes more time and effort. But it always leads to life.

Why? The racing event was exciting, gutsy, and attention-getting. But people must always judge the value of actions by what is right and not just what is flashy and self-serving.