Learning from the Olympics
It’s that time again. That time when we gather around our televisions (or computer monitors or tablet screens or cell phones) and watch the best athletes in the world compete in sporting events that we only watch or care about once every four years.
The Olympics are on. We watch the familiar sports of gymnastics, swimming, and track. And, we watch the unfamiliar sports of table tennis, trampoline, water polo, and judo. We enjoy the competition and root for those whose stories have grabbed our hearts.
We can learn from these athletes that we watch as they compete for the gold. No one can mistake the physical training that each one has one through. No one can question the hours of practice in each of their particular sports.
These men and women have put much time and effort into being the best that they can be. Many of the athletes have arrived at Rio knowing that they have almost no chance of winning. Others do have high expectations of achieving medals around their neck and world or Olympic records by their names. But each athlete has trained hard to participate.
God wants us to train hard, too. Scripture records these words: “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8, NIV).
The instruction is very clear: “train yourself to be godly.” Work at being godly. Practice the art of godliness. Make the effort to grow in godliness.
The Olympic athletes had their lives consumed with training for their sport. Their daily schedules, when they woke up, when they went to bed, and what they did during the day, was completely dictated by their training regimen. Our daily schedules should be dictated by our desire to grow in godliness. Godliness doesn’t just happen. We must plan for it.
The Olympic athletes had to work hard to prepare their bodies and their skills for the competition. They trained for hours and hours, day after day, with no one watching them and cheering them on. Though the competitions will have a large audience watching, the training never does.
We must be willing to work hard at godliness. It will take a concerted effort on our part. It will take submitting to the Holy Spirit as He works in us to grow our walk with the Lord. It will take denying ourselves and following Christ daily (see Luke 9:23). It will not always be easy. We will do much of the training in godliness when no one but God is watching.
Is it worth it? Training in godliness is always worth it. “Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things.” Great value exists in working at godliness. It is hard work. But, it is worth it.