What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?
It is difficult for me to pick one Olympic event over another. My favorite sport to play and to watch is basketball. I spent two summers during junior high playing baseball. I competed in football, basketball, track and cross country in high school. As an adult, I have coached five different sports and competed in 5K’s, 10K’s, a half marathon, basketball and softball.
My favorite part about Olympic sports is the amount of sacrifice the athletes make to compete. All athletes, especially those who stand out and excel give up a lot of their time, work hard physically practicing and honing their skills more as the level of competition increases. The more dedicated athletes usually are the more successful.
Olympic athletes sacrifice more than most professional ones because they are only rewarded by winning. For a majority of olympians, competing is their greatest reward.
I particularly respect the athletes who make the sacrifices out of love for their sport, love of communities they represent, and/or the pure enjoyment of sports and competition. I think we all can learn valuable lessons from them that we can carry over into our physical, mental and spiritual lives.
Being a living sacrifice is how Paul states it in his letter to the Roman Christians. A sacrifice out of gratitude for the many mercies of God seemed reasonable to him he goes on to say. It transcends intuition and translates into living out the lifestyle we were created to do – the perfect will of God for us all.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:1-2 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.12.1-2.NIV
Categories: Devotional Purpose Self-worth Through Work
Douglas Knight
I have the rich life full of a sinner wounded by misunderstanding and punishment but blessed by mercy and forgiveness.
Knight Writer 