The Olympic Challenge of Unity
I love the Olympics! I love it so much that usually I shed a tear or two while watching. It probably has something to do with my love for sports and all the passion that surrounds it. I remember watching Kerry Strug and her epic vault in the 1996 Olympics. She was already injured, but in order to win the Olympic gold medal she had to vault one more time. She ran full speed and then she performed her vault skill that included fulls and flips. She stuck the landing on one foot. I cried.
Moving into the 2000s, I watched Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt break barriers we didn’t even know existed. I cried.
The 2021 Olympics gave us something to hope for as we longed for something normal in the wake of COVID. I cried with gratitude.
4 days into the Olympics I have already shed tears watching Caeleb Dressel give his hard earned gold medal to a young swimmer. By the way, they both cried too. I also watched the amazing gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik help his team win the bronze medal. My husband and I were actually watching him and thinking he was the water boy, and then he left everyone in awe — tears.
Do you have Olympic memories like this? As a family we gathered around the tv and cheered for our country and all the athletes. The kids have started the “U.S.A.” chant every evening.
I admire the athletes and the sacrifices they make for their country. The stories of perseverance, legacy, and passion fuel my love for the games. For a few weeks we watch the entire world come together for a common purpose. If you think about it, not much else in the world has the ability to do this. At the heart of the games is unity. As Americans we have an opportunity to come together for something bigger than politics (thank you Jesus!). I fear we have gotten really good at being divided country. I truly don’t know how we got here, but I do know we can do something about it!
I’m not giving you another opinion, I’m issuing a challenge. Consider this your Olympic challenge of unity. Can we unite for the sake of others? Can we show the world that we still are the United States of America? Let’s go to Hebrews 12:1 to receive this challenge through Scripture.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1
“Great cloud of witness”
This is referring to the hall of fame patriarchs mentioned in Hebrews 11. These women and men of God serve as a witness and encouragement to us and I believe they are literally cheering you on. Woah, this gives me a little extra motivation knowing that God takes so much care in our encouragement. Can we be a great cloud of witnesses for our country? Can we encourage and cheer each other on? I know we are not angels or patriarchs of faith, but we can take a page from their book for the sake of unity. I challenge us to be a positive and unifying force to all those who may witness your reactions to the games. You have spectators in your home, your work, and your church. Show them what Christians actually stand for.
“Lay aside every weight and the sin that entangles you.”
It’s so easy for Christians to see the sin. We are taught to recognize it, but our knowledge of sin shouldn’t be used to condemn others. That’s not our job. Our knowledge of sin should be used for our own repentance. To run this race we need to throw off the sin that entangles you — not the republican or democrat or any other person you don’t agree with.
Did you know that Olympic runners used to tie weights to their feet and train with them? And then before the big race, they would literally toss those weights to the side. What do you think happened? They were faster, more effective, and their endurance was able to withstand more. I actually remember doing this for dance team back in the day. We had ankle weights we would practice high kicks with. When we threw them aside, our kicks hit our face and were effortless! Your weights don’t have to be sin, it can be anything that hinders you. The most debilitating thing we can do is contribute to the division of our country during a unifying world event like the Olympics.
“The race marked out for us.”
You don’t have to be an Olympian to run a race. As Christians, we all have a race to run. We run a race of service, love, suffering, and obedience, just to name a few. It takes patience and perseverance to run the Christian race in the world today. It also takes compassion and grace. Our race is a difficult one. Lucky for us we have inspiration and a perfect example. We need to be:
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
This challenge is not for the faint of heart. It’s only for true Olympians. I’m also not telling that as Christians we shouldn’t stand up for what we believe — we should. But I want to challenge you to think about these questions in our pursuit of unity. I believe this will help you handle potentially divisive situations.
How would Jesus handle this?
Is the Holy Spirit directing me or am I being lead by my emotions?
Is my response contributing to division or peace?
I can’t wait to see the rest of the Olympic Games. I hope for more inspirational stories. Gather your family and friends, focus on unity, and make memories as you watch history unfold.
