Olympic Models

Eric Heiden's 5-medal run is, by far, one the greatest memories for me concerning the Olympics. In 1980, I watched him thrash his competition with ease. He then spoke as a gracious gentleman in front of the camera. I wanted to be like him. Gold medals are special, they make children dream about being great, but what about silvers? I’ve heard some say things like ‘second place is really first place… of the losers!’ or ‘No one ever remembers the runner-up.’ I think this is a tell-tale sign of the times in American Culture. We thrive on being the best. This humanistic view is fueled by the media and over-paid athletes who flaunt their God-given talents and virtues with scenes fitting of a five-year old brat who is trying to muster their own self-esteem.

The Bible is clear that we are to focus on excellence. Paul Writes:

Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Paul also urges believers never to give up. Most Christians apply this to their walk with God, and this is certainly Paul’s focus, but it also could apply to life in general. It is a fundamental principal of sports, as well as business. But when does this focus and determination become unhealthy?

In Exodus, God also tells us to have no idols before Him. Can our focus on things such as sports and business be an idol? Maybe we should start by asking ourselves these questions:

Does it consume me?
Does it negatively affect my relationships with God and others?
Does it cause others to stumble?

These are questions that only we can personally answer. We need to examine ourselves and let God convict us what we need to change.

God called us to excellence, but it doesn't always translate into gold medals: sometimes it manifests itself into simply attaining a personal best, possibly being able to go to something as wonderful as the Olympics or being able to face another day at a miserable job. There are so many stories from the Olympics that exemplify both the good and the bad of competitive sports, but I am always drawn back to two quotes from the movie Chariots of Fire by one of the main characters, Eric Liddel:

“Then where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? {It comes} From within!”

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”

I don't know if Liddle really said these quotes, but I sure want to believe he did. Liddle, who went from winning Olympic Gold to being a missionary in China, understood that God created us for so much more than we could know, but not all things that he called us to were directly ‘Christian’ activities. ‘We are in the world, but not of it’: That is not a call for us to be isolationists, it is a call for us to be an example of a better life: a life more abundant, a life where all can be redeemed and love abounds, a life where all that we do can bring pleasure to our Creator.

-Doug