Blog@GraceJunction

Come Olympics and most of us would be glued to this mega event unfold itself. More so because the built up to it and the country in which it is taking place promises much drama. This is one event which commands the most number of eyeballs, with the Athens Olympics drawing more than 4 billion people watching it just on TV. Most of us have already witnessed the violence that has marred the carrying of the Olympic torch, which signifies the uniting thread between the ancient games and modern games.

The purpose of the ancient games has been replaced by the spirit of the modern games. The Greeks placed emphasis on the Artistic nature of athletics and the preparatory role it played for its warriors. Games were important due to the impact it had on the regions economy and politics. But over a period of time the athletes began to be paid heavily for their sporting achievements and sports heroes emerged resulting in the demise of the amateurs and with it so many other things that sports stood for.

One of them is dope or drug abuse. This is the biggest challenge that the organizers have faced in recent times and this time it will be no different. The word dope originated in South Africa referring to a primitive alcoholic drink which was used as a stimulant in ceremonial dances. Later on in sporting context it came to be referred to as doping. The Roman games were the first to use such stimulants which thrived on gladiatorial competitions and chariot races. They used it to make their horses run faster and then on many gladiators to make their fights sufficiently vigorous and bloody for the spectator.

The Olympic creed says in Baron de Coubertin’s words ‘The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well’. But the demise of this thought was initiated many years back when commercialism and professionalism killed the amateur.

These days when the Athletes Oath is taken when it says “In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams”, the athlete is representing a crowd of sportsmen who have died to the words ‘struggle’ and ‘fighting well’.

The modern day game is rife with instances of doping, corruption, bribing and cheating. The sportsman and those who make money out of it have their hearts smeared, their conscience knows nothing but the guilt of having failed. This generation has lost its ability to see victory in its struggles and losing as the stepping stone to success. They make millions out of their endorsements and victories on the field, but I just want to admire and salute the Greek who stretched and punished his body for just an ‘olive wreath’.

But I am mistaken if I took such a small view of the Greek sportsman, for him the olive wreath just showed that he is ready for the greater battles and opponents of his time, the death of the olive branch gave birth to the warrior in him. So it was with Jesus Christ, for him all his struggles and pains, that bloody death on the cross was the victory of the greatest battle ever fought. God prevailed over death and sin, to redeem man from his treachery.

So is the Christian, he runs but hardly has he got anything to show for except the olive branch (forgiveness and mercy) that God offered symbolic of the lasting crown (eternal life) that he will receive after having fought well. Paul the Apostle said “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim.4.7-8, NIV).

We have seen the greatest champions fall but yet not give up, they finished the race knowing that finishing it is more important.

We have seen many lose, just to be exalted in the eye of the winner! Many for whom life was more than just a temporary adrenaline rush and sweet victory! The rest I should say are dead men running towards the ‘FINISH’ line!

Leave you with a final thought from the Bible ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.’

If you have failed in your small battles and are discouraged, let me tell you Jesus died for you! If you know HIM, you will know how your smaller battles have helped you become the mighty warrior of the WAR called life! So don’t grow weary and lose heart!

Tags: doiping in sports, gladiators, olive wreath, Olymoics

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 25th, 2008 at 12:54 am and is filed under Art, Deadlines, Finance & Money, Navin, Politics, Purpose of Life, Society, Sports, Stress, Thoughts, Trends, Troubles & Problems, War, Youth Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.