Liddell's Gold

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21

Our family has greatly enjoyed watching the winter Olympics this month. I can’t think of the Olympics without remembering who I believe is one of the most memorable Olympians. In Paris, 1924, a Scottish man named Eric Liddell set the record for the 400 meter race, that would last in Europe for twelve years. What happened behind the scenes of that gold medal was that Liddell dropped out of his best event, the 100 meter race, and two relay events, because of his strong conviction to not compete on Sundays. There is no doubt that Liddell’s choice ruffled some feathers and probably even brought on anger and frustration from his coach and teammates. But after the games were done, he’s quoted by saying, “It has been a wonderful experience to compete in the Olympic Games and to bring home a gold medal. But since I have been a young lad, I have had my eyes on a different prize. You see, each one of us is in a greater race than any I have run in Paris, and this race ends when God gives out the medals.”

Eric Liddell went on to pursue that medal from the Lord with all he had. He first became an ordained minister, then a missionary in China, not a safe place to be during the 1930s. After the Japanese army took over Liddell’s mission station, he was sent to an internment camp. Even within the confines of the camp, he never stopped teaching and leading people to Jesus – eventually, he reached his finish line when he died from a brain tumor in 1945. What a living example of Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”