Olympics - Boge

I think anybody who has the courage to dive off of the 10 meter board deserves a medal. More so this year than in previous years, I am so impressed with divers who take the time and the courage to excel at their sport. I can’t believe that people can actually do that consistently. It’s mind bending. Especially the handstand! I mean, that is really amazing to watch.

And then there are the marathoners. The men will go on the last day of the games, but the women have already completed. And their time per mile is simply incredible. Watching the athletes in these and other sports has been nothing shy of inspiring.

The athletes come from all over the world, yet when they are interviewed they seem to have one thing in common: for years, they were focused on training for their sport.

Someone once said that success is in direct proportion to what you had to give up to achieve it. These athletes could probably relate.

Can we?

I think there’s a parallel there with the Christian life. I was reading recently the parable of the talents. One got five. One got two, and the other one. The first two developed what they had. The last one wasted his talent by hiding it. We may or may not be given sports talents, but we’ve been given at least one talent to develop. That could be writing, or parenting, or business.

By watching these Olympic Games and by reading that story of the talents I’m encouraged to take pause and evaluate which talents God has given me and to take the time to develop them and focus on those, even if it means that other things have to fall by the way side. I’m encouraged to continue to strive for excellence in the areas God has given me to pursue. I’m curious to see where it will all lead.

But one thing’s for sure, I’ll leave the diving to others.