More Than Gold • 2

It appears (and I've noticed this for many years now) that Olympic interviewers only know one question to ask: "What does this mean to you?" After every event, it seems, they corner the winner (often still out of breath because they have, well, just competed) and ask the same question every time: "You've just won the gold (or silver, or bronze) medal. What does this mean to you?" Of course, since they always ask the same question, I often also wonder why the athletes don't have a better answer!

Two young divers last night did. They were ready and prepared to speak after winning. David Boudia and Steele Johnson won silver last night in synchronized diving. Not being a swimmer myself, let alone a diver, I'm always amazed and wonder how many hours it takes to be in perfect sync as you jump off a platform, twist and turn together and enter the water at the same time. To even be at the Olympics is an accomplishment; the level of skill it takes to win a medal is, for me, beyond imagining.

But not for these two. Both of them gave witness to their faith in the after-event interview (and the great thing about it being live is that NBC couldn't edit it out!). Each of them, in his own way, said that win or lose at the Olympics, their identity is found in Christ and nothing and no one can take that away. "To God be the glory," they said. I also learned this morning that they would often, in times of nervousness, remind each other of Philippians 4:6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." When nerves threatened to take over, one would simply say to the other, "4:6."

Like Eric Liddell before them, they know where their skill comes from. A couple of months ago, Johnson told the Indianapolis Star, “[God] gave me this ability to dive...and he is still giving me the ability to do what I do.” They know the truth behind these games: there is a prize worth competing for that is worth far more than gold.