Improper Motives!
I witnessed a great deal of desire for wealth at these games. Many of the athletes hoped the Olympics to be merely a giant springboard to great riches. Our Lord stated in Matthew 6:19-21-"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth
and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also." (Remember, the things which a man possess do not provide for the soul for as Jesus said in Matthew 4, "Man cannot live by bread alone." A mans possessions do not prolong life nor prevent disease. James stated in James 2:5-"Hearken, my beloved
brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him."
I saw many athletes that had made some harmful self-sacrifices. Children which have already left home and given up a normal childhood to train for these games hours upon hours, year after year all for the possible reward of a gold medal. Is this
putting first things first? I think not. Psalm 27:4-"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." Mark
8:36,37-"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
When one pauses to consider, the lasting benefits of such a feat is but for a moment. Many times reference is made to the efforts of an athlete as a "once in a lifetime opportunity." They are trying for that medal.........once.....with possibly
never another opportunity. If they should happen to be victorious it seems they would never be forgotten, but sadly yet true, many are. As a servant of God, we realize how quickly earthly popularity is. For as David said in Psalm 103:15-16-"As for man,
his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. for the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more." Friend, I Peter 1:23-25 shows that our only hope for immortality is to trust and obey God's
Holy Word!
Proper Spiritual Motives
There are some positive lessons which may be learned from the Olympics. As a Christian, we are competing in a different kind of "Olympics." Ours is spiritual. Ephesians 6:10-13-"Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his
might, Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." In I Timothy 1:18-"This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies
which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;" Yes, Christians are engaged in a daily struggle just as real and intense as any Olympic contest, but far more important! Jesus said in Luke 13:24-"Strive to enter in at the
strait gate:
for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." The term strive here means, "to endeavor with strenuous zeal". Here concerns the struggle for salvation because Satan and his servants are constantly against righteousness. I
Timothy 6:12 states, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." The devil works hard to defeat the Lord and his cause. We must work hard to
defeat the devil and his ministers. Yes, work! A tramp came to the back door of a house. A lady answered and the tramp said, "Lady, have you got any work for a poor man to do?" "I'm sorry", said the woman regretfully, "but I couldn't give you enough
work to keep you occupied." "Don't worry, lady," the tramp reassured her. "You'd be surprised what little work it takes to keep me occupied." Is this the way it is with us in the kingdom? Do we do just enough to get by? That's not striving! That's not
fighting the good fight of faith!
The sacrifice which Christians make is not harmful but beneficial. We seek to maintain balance in our life placing priority on the more important spiritual things. (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:2; I Timothy 4:8-10) Countless hours are spent by an
Olympian, exercising, training, sacrificing to perform and win the gold. The effort of the Christian is not for self pride or glory but for the glory of God (Psalm 115:1). We realize the lasting eternal benefit which comes from such effort. Hopeful
Christians look for an imperishable crown of righteousness. (Please read I Corinthians 9:25-27; James 1:12)
To close, consider the following: A young baseball prospect was recently warming up on the baseball mound when he collapsed from a heart problem. He now lays in a very critical condition in a hospital bed. The night of the incident he had posed on
his locker wall the following: "If there was no tomorrow, how hard would you play today?" For most contestants in Atlanta, it is nor or never! In a way, the same principle is true for Spiritual Olympians: We only have one lifetime to do God's will.
(John 9:4; Eccl. 12:13,14)
Do you want to receive the prize of heaven? Be obedient to the Lord today!