“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” – 1 Timothy 4:12
The Olympics are just a few weeks away. I love the Olympic games. It is such fun to see the athletes gather from around the world. Each country takes great pride in their representatives. I am always excited to cheer for the USA. It is not simply country vs. country; it is also each athlete for themselves. They have trained their whole lives for the opportunity to compete on the biggest stage in the world. This year, they will gather in Japan with the hopes of bringing home a gold medal and earning the title “Olympic Champion.”
One of the athletes I will be watching this year is Sydney McLaughlin. Sydney will be representing the USA this year. She will be running the 400m hurdles. Her list of track accomplishments is long. She began competing in track at the age of six. By 2016, she had already earned a spot on the USA delegation to the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. She was only 16, one of the youngest track athletes to compete for the USA. She is talented, and she is a favorite to win the Gold this year.
I will not be cheering for Sydney simply because of her athletic skills. I will be cheering for this young lady because she is a strong person of faith. Sydney uses her success in track to share the good news of our faith with the world. She has a large following on social media and often shares inspiration for her followers. Now that the Olympic games are about to take place, Sydney takes the opportunity she has with the press to make sure and share her faith. Recently, after breaking the world record in the Olympic trials, Sydney was interviewed. She said, “I no longer run for self-recognition, but to reflect His perfect will that is already set in stone. I don’t deserve anything. But by grace, through faith, Jesus has given me everything. Records come and go. The glory of God is eternal.”
When I read this wonderful quote, I was reminded of the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the much younger Timothy. Paul wrote, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Sydney McLaughlin is only 21 years old, but she is mature in her faith. She is using the wonderful platform of track and the Olympics to share God’s love with the world. Each of us have the same calling… to share God’s love and bring hope to the world. We are not world-class track stars, but we all have an opportunity to bring glory to God with what we say and do. I hope today that Sydney will encourage you to share Christ. Our faith is good news for the world.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
