The world is all about the Olympics right now. And why not? Thousands of athletes from the world over have worked and sacrificed for years just for the chance to compete. For those who make it, it must be surreal just to be there. For those who win a medal…. I doubt I could imagine, let along express, how it must feel.
Competing among your peers , doing your personal best, pushing yourself, setting and achieving goals, using discipline and sacrifice to reach your dreams – this is commendable behavior.
While the USA cheers the American swimmer Michael Phelps, who (as of August 13) has already achieved five gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, I am fascinated by Eric Shanteau who put his life on the line by postponing cancer surgery in order to have the chance to compete. He made the cut to be on the US team. He did not succeed in the pre-trials in Beijing. No chance for a medal. He will go home now to receive his treatment.
It makes me wonder: is he happy with his decision now? He may be just fine after a successful surgery or he may find that he made the wrong choice. Either way the cancer goes, would he have been vindicated in making that decision if he had won a gold medal?
What drives a person to risk his life for a dream?
Each Olympian may have a different motivation. They each have unique skill sets and practice schedules. They will certainly have different results from their Olympic competitions. But they will have in common the fact that each and every one made it to the Olympics where, in one way or another, they had the opportunity to be among, to compete along side, those who are arguably the best in the world, and maybe, if luck and effort align, to achieve the designation as the best in the world.
Whatever these men and women achieve this year, except for a select few like Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz before him, the annoying reality is that all too soon the glory of this competition and set of achievements will be forgotten or replaced by other news of the day.
For those who follow Jesus, we have a better crown awaiting us – an eternal crown that will not be erased or forgotten when the next Olympics competition comes around, nor even in tens of thousands of years.
I saw an awesome synchronized diving competition where the Chinese team won gold. I have no idea who those girls were – don’t know their names, can’t remember their faces or their scores. Perhaps they will remain famous in their home towns for years to come, but ultimately that will fade too.
For those of us who follow Jesus, we do well to remember his admonition to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven where months don’t eat it, rust doesn’t ruin it and it can never be stolen by a thief or even the next deserving athlete.
Unlike Shanteau, we will never risk more than we can get in return. Jesus laid everything on the line for us. He expects the same from us, but no more than that. Our investment in Christian living will never fail to result in the ultimate crown of righteousness – eternal life in God’s Kingdom. Our reward is sure and it will never tarnish or be forgotten or be replaced by the next contender. There is room for EVERYONE on the gold medal stand in the Christian race and Jesus will welcome us ALL to the ultimate winner’s circle.
With love,
Nancy
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