When Stephen Kiprotich won the marathon gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, celebrations reverberated throughout Uganda.
The outpouring of joy brought back memories of 40 years previously when another Ugandan great, John Akii-Bua won gold in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Hoping that history could repeat its self at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Uganda’s hopes of winning the men’s 42km marathon unfortunately went down the drain, as the defending champion Stephen Kiprotich finished 14th, with Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge winning gold on Sunday.
Solomon Mutai finished 8th while Jackson Kiprop finished 80th.
Now that we’ve established that life has some downs, one could almost call it a metaphor for the Christian journey.
In fact, for those who watch carefully, the Olympics can reveal essential truths on becoming a better Christian.
If you’ve chosen to run the race for Christ, you have to remember that every day is an Olympic event. The world is watching. Some will cheer you, while others will critic you. Either way, their is nothing wrong with giving the race your very all.
When someone qualifies for the Olympics, you know they’re not just going for the scenery. This is the apex of competition, a literal once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most contestants.
So when their moment comes, do you think they’re going to give a halfhearted performance? Of course not! Even if they don’t expect to win, these athletes give everything they have to achieve their goal.
Joining the Olympics to me is like joining ministry. When given the opportunity to represent Christ, how much do we commit to the calling? There is need for one to run the race set before them with faithfulness and zeal.
Kiprotich said after the race: “I had a stitch as early as 7km. The weather was too rainy and cold and I could not just keep up. It was too tricky. I fought on but that is the best I could do.
If the Olympics teach us anything, it’s that even the best athletes could fail to make it to the finish line. A gymnast who won a gold medal one night can stumble and fall the next.
The fastest man alive can be beaten by a nameless competitor. No matter how good you are, nobody wins every time. It’s a hard lesson many Christians still struggle to accept.
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity. – Proverbs 24:16
How we finish the race is vastly more important than winning it. As Christians, we need to live every day as if it’s our last, and be mindful of the legacy we’ll leave behind.
You do not quite the race simply because you are not certain about victory, neither do you give up in the due cause of the race when hope seems to be fading.
Unlike men who Judge fellow men by strength, remember, God does not judge a man by his strength or glory, the LORD looks at the heart.
male@ugchristiannews.com
