More Than Gold • 4

Entrance to the original Olympic stadium, taken October 2014 - Olympia, Greece

The Olympics were originally a festival of worship. They were held in honor of Zeus and intended to be a celebration of the human body. As such, the athletes competed in the nude and covered themselves with olive oil. Because of the nudity, married women were forbidden to watch under penalty of death. While a truce between all warring nations existed during the Olympic games (allowing athletes to travel safely to and from the games), that didn't mean all was peaceful. The competition was often intense, and sometimes the games were even used to create alliances and agreements between rulers.

When I had the chance to walk the original grounds at Olympia in 2014, I was amazed how much of the area was given over not only to training the athletes but also to worshipping Zeus. The original Olympics were as much a worship service as anything else. Animals sacrificed to Zeus at the beginning of the games were used at the end to provide a banquet for the athletes, and the statue of Zeus located here was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. This was a place of worship, no doubt about it. Worship of Zeus. Worship of the athletes.

Today, the Olympics are held every four years as a symbol of peace and goodwill, and though (to my knowledge!) there are no animal sacrifices offered at the modern games (though the athletes certainly have made sacrifices of another kind to get there), there are those who worship the sport, those who worship human achievement, during these games and other sporting events. We have a tendency to stray toward worshipping the creation rather than the Creator. It shouldn't be odd for us to hear athletes give praise to God for giving them the abilities they have, and yet we are surprised when it happens. More often, we attribute their abilities to hard work, some certain diet or a good coach. All of those things contribute, to be sure, but the ultimate source of any of our abilities lies in the God who created all of us. Without him, we would have no life, no strength, no ability.

Where the Olympic flame is kindled (2014)

Olympia is a fascinating site to visit, to remember what once was and even to recognize what is today (the Olympic torch is still kindled here every two years and then carried around the world to the place where the games are being held that year). But even as we watch these modern athletes compete and excel, let's never forget who gave them (and us) the ability to live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). He is the prize we cannot live without. He is worth far more than gold.

Eating baklava in Olympia, 2014