Champions

We are encouraged to do all that we do for the glory of God - whether it's our individual well-being, our life at home, at church, in the workplace, or in the community, we can be challenged to be excellent representatives of the Christ within us, a manifestation of the risen Savior.  And, for those participating in sports or the arts, a person should attempt to perform at his or her highest level.  Colossians 3 (ESV) states:
22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Going into the 2026 Winter Olympics, U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor already had an impressive resume: 3 silver and 2 bronze medals.  But, as The Daily Citizen reported, she won Olympic gold in Italy, and in so doing, became the oldest American woman to win a medal, at the age of 41, in the Women's Monobob competition.

She is a testimony to endurance and reliance on God's strength.  In addition to performing as an athlete, she is wife to Nic and mother to Nico and Noah.  The article related that both boys are deaf, and that Nico has Down syndrome.  The article related:

“Parenting my two sons with disabilities has done everything for me,” she told NBC. “It’s given me patience, it’s given me the drive to keep going, and it’s made me realize that even my worst days on bobsled are better than the worst days as a parent.”

“They mean everything to me, and at the end of the day, if I win medals or lose medals, it doesn’t matter, because I’m still mom to them. I still get to go home and get cuddles.”

And as she experienced difficulties in college and was getting incorporated into Team USA, she began attending Bible studies.  Nic also attended, and the two of them were baptized before getting married.  The Daily Citizen article says:

At the time of their conversion, Elana reflected, “We know God is using our time here for a purpose. It’s exciting to be able to go through this and think about what stories we’ll share with our (future) kids later, and what will come of all of this …There’s a reason that God has for each of us in the sport. It’s all about serving His purpose.”

We’re not always afforded the luxury of knowing why the Lord does what he does, but we’re sometimes given a hint or glimpse. Elana alluded to that a few years ago when she reflected, “Winning is great and hopefully it gives me a platform to spread His love and spread His Word.”

Meanwhile, Olympic gold medalist Joy Dunne gave God the glory after the U.S. women's hockey team defeated Canada.  A Yahoo! Sports piece said that, "Dunne is soaking in this gold medal. And had this to say to her hometown: 'Thank you so much, I thank the Lord the most for everything and all of you guys, but God is good and this is awesome...'"

And, there's been some coverage of a Polish ski jumper who won three medals.  After winning the first two, at a special service, he placed them on the altar, according to a CBN story about Kacper Tomasiak.  That's a powerful visual of recognizing where the glory should go for our achievements.

You don't have to look very far to find expressions of faith in athletic competition.  And, as Elena Meyers Taylor reminds us, her platform is a way to spread the love and truth of the Lord.  That's a lesson we can all take to heart.  We are created for His glory, we have been given a testimony, and we can be sensitive to ways in which God desires to express His love and truth through us.

We can also make sure that we are giving Him our best.  Through our diligence and desire for excellence, we are showing our devotion and dedication to Him. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can testify to the greatness of God.  We should compete passionately and fairly, and at the end of the day, whatever the scoreboard shows, we can be confident that we have given Him our best.