“All I know most surely about morality and obligation I owe to football”,
Determination
Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above…set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:1-2“Keep your focus” is a common cliché in sport. That is what Paul is saying in these verses. For many Olympians the 2012 Games has been their focus and motivation for the last four years. It is what has motivated them to train, to be in the best shape of their life for the biggest event of their lives. Daley Thompson used to say that he trained twice on Christmas Day because his opponents only trained once – determination!
Allyson Felix has won three individual World Championship gold medals. In the 2004 and 2008 Olympics she took silver. She says, “I've had 8 years to think about missing out on gold. Words can't express what 2012 means to me. Motivated is an understatement”.
Remember the lovely story of Ruth in the Old Testament. When Naomi decided to leave Moab and return to Judah, her daughter in law Ruth wanted to go with her. Naomi tried to dissuade her - and all logic and reason was on her side - but the text says, “Ruth was determined to go with her”. Many of us will recognize this determination against reason that has helped us make a crucial, career changing, decision.
It is not enough just to be determined, just to set your minds – you need to set your minds on the right things: in Paul’s words “on things above, not on earthly things”. This is a subtle distinction for the athlete. It is not that you are any less focused on the Games or on what you need to do to get there. It is simply that your motivation is on God and his glory – not on winning for the sake of it and for your own success and glory.