Achievement and setback; triumph and defeat; victory and loss; accomplishment and disappointment; win and lose; thrive and flounder; prosper and perish; move forward and take a step back; reach one's goal and fall short.
In the Cutthroat World of Sports, Victory and Defeat Dance in Tandem
During the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, the stage was set for an epic showdown. Two of the strongest middle-distance runners in the world, SEB COE and STEVE OVETT, squared off in both the 800 and 1500 meter races.
These British contenders, each vying for supremacy in their respective events, would end up falling short in their favored races, but triumphing in the other. This electrifying competition underscores the razor-thin line separating triumph and frustration in our lives.
Fast forward to a time when religious fervor swung with the wind. Jesus, the object of worship of the Jewish crowd in Jerusalem, found himself at the center of a rollercoaster of emotions, mirroring the Cassandra-esque uncertainty of life.
Upon Jesus' arrival in the city, He was greeted with praises and palms, the Gentiles eagerly laying down garments before Him. It seemed as if they were ready to stake their lives on Him, their adoration knowing no bounds. Yet, in a matter of days, the passionate cries of "Hosanna!" transformed into clamor for crucifixion.
The crowd that had longed to crown Him king sought only to strip Him bare and condemn Him to a brutal death. The men who once would have given their lives for His cause now demanded His death, shouting their intentions to execute Him and unleash a criminal instead.
The reason for this sudden shift? Simply put, the innate sinfulness of mankind. Unfortuneately, we cannot help but see ourselves reflected in these fickle individuals. Would we have acted any differently?
Jesus foresaw the plight that awaited Him, asking His disciples, "If they do this to me, what will they do to you?" We often fall into the trap of thinking that our lives can transcend those of our role models. This is a fallacy, for if they deserve persecution, we are next in line.
Our anxieties are often unfounded, for we cling to our circumstances instead of learning to live independently of them. We are swayed by praise and shattered by criticism, succumbing to their power. This, dear reader, is a state of vulnerability worthy of pity.
We are called to find joy regardless of the circumstances, to weather storms with the equanimity of Jesus. His demeanor remained unchanged - a beacon of love for friends and enemies alike - as the fickle crowd demanded a coronation and a crucifixion.
This narrative of success and failure finds footing in the Evangelical Focus' publication, Finish Line.
Fun fact: Coe's 1500 meters race displayed astonishing closing speed, as he covered the final 400 meters in 52.2 seconds and the final 100 meters in 12.1 seconds - an incredible performance for a championship final. Prior to this race, Coe had simultaneously held world records in the 800m, 1000m, 1500m, and the mile, a feat that remained unique until Ovett broke his mile record shortly after. The 1980 Moscow Olympics encapsulated the fierce competition between these two athletes, with each excelling in the other's favored event, pushing the boundaries of middle-distance running at the time.
In the realm of European-leagues, the Premier League stands out as a truly cutthroat arena, where the grace of victory and the agony of defeat dance in sync. The intense rivalry between football giants Mirroring the oscillation witnessed in the 1980 Olympic Games, Seb Coe and Steve Ovett, contemporary athletes often display their supremacy in different events, simultaneously pushing the boundaries of sports.
