Shine Like Stars

The Olympics are on and you can’t miss them can you. Every form of media is carrying the stories, the highs, the lows, the tragedies and the controversies and more. Personally, I love the Olympics. I love seeing people shine like stars, ahead of the pack, achieving glory. I love being able to sit and watch the best of the best exert themselves with power and passion. I love being able to watch sports I rarely see. I love following the stories of athletes who have overcome dire personal circumstances to get them to glory. I love it all. 

Last night I watched the triathlons and I can confirm that nothing would get me in the Seine River ever. But I also watched the women’s BMX and when Natalya Diehm won bronze I was loudly cheering at the TV. Now I know for the purists that the idea of BMX, or the urban sports of rock climbing, breakdancing and skateboarding being in the Olympics might be causing you conniptions; but let me tell you, Natalya has got skill and she took her bike as high as the stars last night. Incredible.

Now all this got me thinking about how we can use both the Paralympics and Olympics to engage people with the love of Jesus. 

I watched the enthusiasm flow out of Natalya after her win and the tears flow out of Harry Garside after his boxing loss. Their passion was infectious. A simple question to go deep with someone could be, “What are you that passionate about?”

I watched the triathletes finish, literally collapsing over the line and being sick from exertion. A simple question to go deep with someone could be, “When did you last devote your whole self to something?”

I watched athletes finish 8th, 30th and last. A simple question to go deep with someone could be, “Are you the sort of person who would be coming last but try their best all the way to the end?”  

Now truth is I am not that good at these sort of questions and am often too abrupt - you have probably already thought of 10 better ones than me! But here’s the thing, we are in the midst of a universal moment where everyone knows something about the Olympics right now and it is possible to strike up a deep chat that could lead to a faith chat that could lead to a Jesus chat that could lead to someone coming to know, love, and trust in Jesus. Wouldn’t it be awesome to be able to say that the best thing about these Olympics was that your friend or family member started to consider Jesus during them. 

So what question might you use to start a deep chat?   

While you are thinking about that, note that in Philippians 2:16 Paul says that Christians will shine like stars in a dark world when we hold firmly to the Word of Life. So as we live for Jesus, growing in godliness, we shine like stars, showing the world how glorious Jesus is. Our Olympians might shine for a moment, but those who live for Jesus shine a constant light into a lost world enabling people to see their way to even greater glory than a gold medal brings. Being different is different and that in itself is a great way to start a deep chat too.

So, lots of opportunities around at the moment to help people come to consider Christ. I am praying you will take one. Will you please pray the same for me?