More Than A Gold Medal

The Olympics are over for another three years 11 months.  But that doesn’t stop the athletes from starting to train today, the day after the closing ceremonies. For years they trained daily and for what? It’s all for the chance to go and compete and possibly win a gold metal that isn’t even gold and hasn’t been since 1912? What’s with that? All that time spent away from normal life, all the pain, injuries, late nights and early mornings when most people just want to have a relationship with their pillow. Just for a chance at a prize?

Every one of those Olympians gave up most everything for one thousand four hundred forty four days just to compete for sixteen days, and in most cases, for one day. Never forget there was no guarantee because so many other individuals were doing the same thing as they are. If you think about it, your chance of winning gold is not good. There were eleven thousand athletes vying for 306 gold medals. Think about that, is it worth it?

What drove them? I’m not totally sure but a verse in the bible gives us a glimpse, but a better prize.  Paul said it in Philippians 3:12-14: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Paul was giving up everything to win the prize, which is being with Christ in heaven. He may have been writing this as the World Games were going on Rome. He knew what the athletes went through to get to the games and he wanted to do the same for the sake of knowing Christ in his heart. One major difference between the Olympics and the prize Paul was going for, with Paul, everyone us will receive the prize. Now take a moment and go read the whole chapter.

It takes work to be a follower of Christ, Paul knew it, we know it and man, it’s better than any gold medal the world could ever present us with.

Something to think about.

Rob