The Thrill of Victory!

This is day 6 of the 2008 Olympics. If you have been anywhere in sight, or sound of the TV you will have seen and/or heard of Michael Phelps. This young man is a swimming dynamo. He has earned the all-time Olympic record of 11 gold medals. So far this time around he is taking home five golds, and is working toward an historic 8 gold medals in the same Olympic games.

But even as amazing as Michael is, he is not the only outstanding competitor in Beijing. Spend any time viewing the coverage of the Olympics and you will see a great number of athletes who are incredibly talented. Besides being tremendously fit, there is another difference between them and us regular non-Olympic folk. It isn’t just the talent that got them to Beijing this summer. Oh they’re gifted of course, but they have also spent years working and training for this moment.

In order to enhance their God-given talents they practice other preparation methods in addition to training in their own sport. For example, swimmers also weight train. They can use cycling, running and resistance stretching to help strengthen their bodies. I read of a swimmer who works with a gymnast out of the pool, on his handstands and balancing to help with his strokes and turns in the pool.

Take Michael, he is an extraordinarily talented swimmer. The fact that he is a virtuoso in the pool though does not mean he can swing his lanky torso and long legs in a circle around the pommel horse. Being capable of an excellent flip turn at the end of a lap is not an indication of excellence in performing a back flip on the mat. By the same token World Champion gymnast Shawn Johnson most likely cannot power lift 260 lbs, or be an all-star on the basketball court. Clearly, Michael and Shawn are not gifted with the same talents. I am very grateful they, and all the other US Olympians have different skills so they can use their individual talents to represent us in all the different competitions.

Here are several lessons that can be learned from watching the Olympics

• We have a responsibility not to bury our talents, but to exercise them to increase. In being good stewards we will work and train our talent for the plans God has for us. Matthew 25:21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!’
• In training our gift we must not neglect the benefits of cross training with other spiritual gift practices. We learn in 2 Peter chapter one, in order to participate in the divine nature of God we should make every effort to add to our faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge.
• Just like Michael and Shawn we each have different gifts to share, but each of us is gifted by God for the profit of all. As the Bible states in 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

Unfortunately, we can’t all be Olympic athletes bringing home the gold, or silver or even bronze medal. But we do have our own talents meticulously doled out by the Holy Spirit, in order for us to cultivate and to share, with our families, communities, and the world.

So don’t be discouraged if you can’t break a world swimming record like Michael Phelps, or twist and flip in the air a la Shawn Johnson. I promise you have other talents to perfect. In the meantime, get some popcorn, sit back, relax, and root your favorite team on to victory!