The Eternal Prize

All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.

1 Corinthians 9:25, NLT

I always enjoy the Winter Olympics. Every four years I thrill and marvel at the reckless speed of the downhill races, the precision of the figure skaters, the endurance of the cross-country skiers and 10,000-meter skaters, and the lightning fast and bruising action of the hockey teams. Even with the inherent nationalism and blatant commercialism, these "games" feature the best of the globe’s young athletes, and, for a brief time, they bring the world together. For many Americans, however, the Olympics are the epitome of frustration and disappointment. Having been reared on competition and the notion that "we are the greatest," losing is difficult to swallow. We want to win the gold (every time). When the Russians, Germans, and others steadily stream to the victory stand, we sulk and soothe our feelings with rationalization and excuses. "Those other athletes are really pros--and ours are amateurs." "They're subsidized by the government." "We have so few speed-skating rinks." "They have so many more mountains." . . . etc. There may be some truth in those statements, but I believe that the real difference lies in dedication and focus. For anyone to compete at the Olympic level, the sport must become that person's life. He or she must eat, sleep, and live skating, skiing, running, or jumping. And, quite frankly, for better or worse, our society is filled with distractions. It is almost impossible for an American young person to narrow his or her focus and to concentrate. On the positive side, this is because the United States is a land where individuals have the freedom to pursue a wide range of life-options. Negatively, it is also because our society is filled with materialism and self-centeredness. Despite these pulls, however, there are those who muster the drive and determination to compete. Nancy Swider-Peltz is a good example. She was over the age of 30, married, and had a child when she participated in her fourth Winter Olympics. Despite the lack of speed-skating training facilities in Illinois, financial support, and a coaching entourage, Nancy trained and competed world-wide. And during her competitive years, she also graduated from college, began a career, and started a family. I've known Nancy for those years, and I know what keeps her going--her love for Christ and the support of her family. Thank God for women and men like Nancy Swider-Peltz who strive for and achieve excellence, despite seemingly insurmountable odds.