Dear Grandkids,
In many ways our nation is a divided nation. But every 4 years we come together in unity to root for our Olympic athletes as they compete against the rest of the world. For these two weeks, it doesn’t seem to matter if you are democrat or republican, wealthy or poor, black, hispanic, or white, a believer in God or not. There is something about the Olympics that draws us together as a country.
Such is the case right now as we watch the Paris Olympics – in spite of some of the controversies that have claimed (more than necessary) social media attention. We collectively cheer robustly at the “thrill of victory” and seemingly sigh en masse at the “agony of defeat.” We find ourselves caught up in the drama that unfolds before our eyes of people that we had never even heard of two weeks. We learn about their stories and our hearts are captivated by the commitment and perseverance it takes to be a world class athlete.
There is a story from the Paris Olympics that you may not be familiar with – probably because it happened 100 years ago. A lot of people from my generation are familiar with the story because it was actually made into a movie 42 years ago. A really good movie by the way. But I have come to find out that your generation and younger have never even heard of the movie Chariots of Fire much less of who the movie was about.
Eric Liddell was 22 years old in 1924. He was from Scotland and his parents were missionaries to China. He attended British prep schools while growing up and spent years without seeing his parents. He was a devout Christian and a very very fast sprinter. He believed that God had made him fast for a reason and determined to use his gift for the glory of God.
In 1924, Liddell was considered Great Britain’s best hope of winning the 100 meters at the Paris Olympics. But when he learned that the heats for the 100 were scheduled for a Sunday he pulled himself out of the race because of his convictions about what you could and could not do on the Sabbath. Some admired his conviction but a lot of people thought he was being unpatriotic. For Liddell, it was a matter of personal integrity and obedience.
He instead began training for the 400m which was not his specialty. Few people gave him any kind of chance to medal. But he won his qualifying heat, and then to the amazement of everyone, won the gold medal and set a new world record in the process. Here is the clip from Chariots of Fire depicting the race…
I have always loved this quote from the movie that you heard near the end of the clip: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
Eric Liddell, who became known as “The Flying Scotsman,” returned home as a conquering hero. He then left for China in 1925 where he served as a missionary until his death at the young age of 43 due to an inoperable brain tumor.
Liddell’s story is a great story. An inspiring story. A story worth telling. Perhaps there will be stories that come out of these Paris Olympics that will be just as inspiring and just as worth telling. We all have a story waiting to be told. I have no doubt that your story, when the last chapter is written, will be very compelling, with interesting plot twists, and an inspiration to those who read it. Just remember that God has made you for a purpose and you are to pursue that purpose to the glory of God. And when you do, you will feel His pleasure – which is a great way to walk through this life!
Never forget that you are very loved,
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