Talking about the Olympics, and Usain Bolt of Jamaica, who recently busted the world records for 100 and 200 metres sprints... and his now-famous "Lightning Bolt" dramatics that had the IOC understandably piffed...
I'm reminded of another Olympian almost a century ago, who broke the world record for the 400 metres for his time, and did what Bolt didn't do - shake hands and encourage his fellow athletes. Not only so, but he also was marvellously salt and light to his community, giving evangelistic talks and using his God-given talent for running to attract others to Christ.
From the Wikipedia entry on Eric Liddell:
During the summer of 1924, the Olympics were hosted by the city of Paris. Liddell was a committed Christian and refused to run on Sunday (the Sabbath), with the consequence that he was forced to withdraw from the 100 metres race, his best event.
The schedule had been published several months earlier, and his decision was made well before the Games began. Liddell spent the intervening months training for the 400 metres, an event in which he had previously excelled. Even so, his success in the 400m was largely unexpected.
The day of 400 metres race came, and as Liddell went to the starting blocks, an American masseur slipped a piece of paper in his hand with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30, "Those who honor me I will honor."
Liddell ran with that piece of paper in his hand. He not only won the race, but broke the existing world record with a time of 47.6 seconds.
A few days earlier Liddell had competed in the 200 metre finals, for which he received the bronze medal behind Americans Jackson Scholz and Charles Paddock, beating Harold Abrahams, who finished in sixth place. (This was the second and last race in which these two runners met.)
I've got a biography on him - do borrow it from me if you can. His life is so very inspiring, especially for all those who want to be salt and light in their spheres of influence, and for missions too. :)
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