A Good Olympic Example

The Olympic games are sure to inspire and motivate millions. This is the first of six posts related to the games.

A person who is a role model is a living life example. From previous Olympics came future competitors today.

Twenty-four years ago a little eight year old girl named Brooke Bennett watched the American swimmer Janet Evans win a gold medal.  Right then she was motivated and resolved to strive for the same.   Brooke Bennett won her gold medal in Sydney and no one was more proud than her model Janet Evans.

Mike Marsh, Barcelona Gold Medalist in the 200 meters, tells of a friend who was a coach urging him to participate in track without success. He finally motivated him to watch one of the world’s greatest athletes run on TV. Mike watched Carl Lewis and was fired with excitement. He was motivated by Carl’s example as no one had ever been able to motivate him. That motivation created an Olympic Gold Medalist in the person of Mike Marsh.

You may lack motivation for life. You may be without motivation to achieve your best in life. If you study the life of Christ you will find inexhaustible motivation in Him. He then can create in you the best “you,” you have the capacity of becoming. Contained in that “best you” is the most happiness and contentment for which you have the capacity.

Will trusting Jesus as Savior make you a Gold Medalist? Likely not, but there are other benefits. There is an old TV ad that will illustrate this.

A famous athlete is depicted as using a certain deodorant. An aspiring younger athlete holds up a container of the deodorant and asks, “If I use ‘Ban’ deodorant will it make doors open for me?”

A voice comes from nowhere saying, “No, but if you don’t it will make windows open.”

Turning to Christ in faith and trusting Him as Savior might not make you a Gold Medalist but it will make you the best “you,” you can be. Trust Him and see! He will motivate you to strive to be your best at everything you do. He did.

In general, Jesus’s leadership is characterized by his ability to inspire change, develop followers into leaders, and consistently demonstrate compassion and empathy.

Scripture says “…the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

You will never personally replicate Jesus, but you can characterize many of His traits. Efforts to follow Him brings out the best in us, hence is fulfilling.

Jesus said, “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13: 15).