Dear Friends,
For some, it felt like the crowning of years of hard work, an appointment with destiny. For others, it felt like the disappointment of a lifetime.
The Beijing Winter Olympics, like them or not, left us with images of dreams fulfilled and goals questioned… and most of the competition coming down to a matter of millimeters or milliseconds. A very thin margin that left lots of uncontested room for self and not much room for others.
But it played out differently for five time Olympian and gold medalist, Shaun White. After his final run of the snow board competition that left him out of medal contention, Shaun’s response to the media? “To see them (younger competitors) finally surpass me. I think deep down, that is what I always wanted.”
No victim language or self-language here. Just a gut level authentic response from one who is secure in his identity… a “deep down” cheering on of another human being to do well.
This is close to the language of the gospel.
“So cheer each other up with the hope you have. Build each other up.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’…” Hebrews 3:13
Cheer one another on… it is what God, deep down, always wants for us.
~Wynn