In 1896, when the Olympic Games were revived in Athens, the event that became a source of true Greek pride was the first-ever marathon. Seventeen athletes competed in this race of 40 kilometers (24.8 miles), but it was won by Louis—a common laborer. For his efforts, Louis was honored by king and country, and he became a national hero.
The apostle Paul used running a race as a picture of the Christian life. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. —1 Corinthians 9:24
I thought about the sports-lovers. Why the inclination to activities that inspire achievement, even from centuries past, if not for physique and fitness in our advanced society? There was once where I touched the badminton shuttlecock. My world is now made out of the court, the net, the racket and the opposing player serving the shuttle. I loved the smoothness of the racket shell and the tensions of racket strings. I could not take the poor ventilation; the potential injuries. I could not bare the fact that I had to actually learn the technicalities of the sport. Does not sport stem from the heart’s creativity and not conventional practice?
The bottom line is we all want a prize. The question is not whether I hit it out or in the last time, or whether sports education is necessary. Does not matter whether that self-coached multi-talented player breached the rules of hard work. Does not matter if the man-made event was unfair to us. Our hearts are in the game. We are on a mission. I will bring to the floor the heart of man. I win for the people. I shall not hit the air with a raging inordinate hit that sends only wind down my side. I will show blamelessness in sports. Either I win fairly or I do not win at all. Because the prize is not here on the earth. It is in the heavens. I set my head above, therefore I never run out of love of the sport.
Not only did Paul teach this but he lived it out. In his final epistle, he said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7)
(1 Corinthians 9:19-23, 25a, 27)Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (NOTE: We are under Christ’s law – the law of redemption because of love)
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training [...] 27 [sic] I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
And yes I will not. We will not win scolding the imperfection of the world and glorifying ourselves. But we will win with dignity, with wisdom, and in truth.
The game is beautiful in my eyes,
I see societies who for it die,
the beauty of tactics in the minds eye,
but the wise craftsmen in the eye’s mind.
Strength of our foes we celebrate,
glorying in the sporty vertebrate.
Joyful we are in defeat,
Victory does not change our earthly beat,
Even if the beast hits my ball out,
I have got the joy of the game, watch out.
