In July, I stumbled across an interview floating around Facebook of two athletes addressing their identity in Christ and praising God for their successes. In absolute admiration of their composure and grace while speaking on a national platform, I made sure to follow them through the Olympics.
On August 8th, synchronized divers, David Boudia and Steele Johnson, snagged silver medals finishing behind the China in the 2016 Olympics held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. While watching their performance, I was in utter awe of their technique and level of competition. Then I starting thinking of the endless training, life choices, and limits (or lack thereof) these men have to place on themselves. These guys have mastered the art of self-discipline in terms of nutrition, exercise, and balance, as well as the feat of flawless teamwork by executing multiple synchronized dives while on the biggest stage in the world. After their top notch performance, Boudia and Johnson were interviewed and I decided these guys are not silver medalists.
They are gold.
Just like the video I saw earlier, David and Steele were poised, joyful, and grateful providing not only a testimony to Team USA but to The Lord. Granted, I am not one for public speaking, so I am in admiration of their interview alone - the courage it takes to speak knowing millions of eyes are watching. But more so, I am inspired by the humility shown as they turned the glory away from themselves and directed it to it's proper place.
The best part is, it's not all talk. Interviewers for the Olympics rush to get the latest reactions and responses from medalists. Oftentimes, the athletes don't even have a chance to catch their breath. The interviews the media get are raw; it's not rehearsed, scheduled, or staged. The moment an athlete medals there's a camera in his or her face capturing the excitement, disappointment, or pure emotion.
I'm so impressed with Boudia and Johnson because in the heat of the moment, the celebration of being one of the best in the world - a time so tempting to gloat and glorify the self - they were not celebrating themselves. Instead, they celebrated the gifts God gave them.
Imagine: four years of rigorous training, strict diets, endless stress and publicity, early morning work outs, and late nights dreaming of Rio, nightmares too (and I'm sure SO much more). You prove yourself on the world's largest stage. You nail it. You are now one of the best at what you do. You don't have to say it, you just did. You earned a medal at the Olympics.
And instead of bottling up the praise and fueling your pride, you turn it to someone else. Someone they can't see on the screen and doesn't speak on His own behalf. You say, "I didn't win, it's Him working through me." The audience either thinks you're crazy or on to something greater. Somehow the thought of those extremes don't get to you, because there, in that moment of raw emotion, you're not considering what others think of you. You're awestruck in what God has done through you. Tears and all.
That's true humility.
Stay gold, David and Steele. Stay gold.
