What's it worth?

I have always had a fascination with the Olympic games and each year they come around (Summer or Winter games), I just get so engrossed in them. I love the History in the making and learning about sports and watching it all happen. I don't know what it is, but there is something about it that just grabs me attention.
So needless to say, I've watch much of the games already, aside from yesterday with time with family.
But it got me to thinking last night...after one of the US woman's gymnasts didn't qualify for her all-around that she was favored to WIN GOLD. And she didn't even get to the finals. This poor girl, she put all of her time and energy into her life and it all came down to ONE event. Honestly, THIS IS WHY I could never do this. What pressure they must face! Obviously to make it be an Olympian you must be able to face pressure, otherwise you wouldn't get there in the first place.
But my point of all of this is...
You put so much time, practice, time, practice, sacrifice, practice, more sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears and all for what? ooooo...OUCH...for what?? duh, and Olympic medal...particularly to win Gold...that's for what!!!
Yeah...BUT...what happens when you win Gold? Yeah, you win...you get bragging rights, you get media attention, you become popular for what might be a year...unless it was a legendary performance that will constantly be played and remembered like the 1996 Women's gymnasts team was remembered (the Magnificent 7). Anyways...but really, what does it mean? Does that mean you are better than me? Yeah, at Gymnastics. Does that mean now you've completed your life...I sure hope not. Does that mean you've work so hard in that now everything will come easy...o boy...how sad if anyone thinks that. Does it mean that because you won gold or any medal that those medals go with you to Heaven? Does that mean that you are award GOLD in Heaven?
Boy, surely NOT.
I thought about it this morning. What it would be like to have a medal. I'd feel much of an accomplishment, yes. But what would I do with that medal afterwards? Sit on a shelf? display it? For how long? Until you die? THEN what happens to it? Where does that medal go? To the grave with you? Why? Is it then a waste? Does someone else inherit it? Will it mean the same to them as it did to you...NO, it NEVER will mean the same even if it was your mother or father that one it or a brother or a sister. Because no one can know the feeling it was to go through all of that to get that.
My point? You win...AWESOME. But is that was defines who you are? see, here I go again with 'WHO AM I' stuff. but it's SO TRUE. Is who you are a winner, an Olympian? NO...unfortunately for them, it really isn't. NONE of these means anything if they don't know Jesus Christ as their person Savior and go to Heaven some day. Their medal can't take them, their hard work can't take them, their dedication can't take them, their blood, sweat and tears can't take them, their good works can't take them...NOPE. Sorry...all that work really means nothing when it comes to God and what eternity means.

See, this all started because I thought about what they do with their medals someday...especially once an Olympic medalist dies. What happens? Where are their medals? Do they keep getting passed down from generation to generation in the family...when the person who has it, has no idea what that sport was or who you even were? yeah, it's cool and awesome to win a medal and have it? But it's a material thing...it eventually goes away just like any other material thing in life does. But what matters is what is in your heart...that is what will last forever and eternity, if you have Jesus Christ in your life! That is the only thing in life that will carry on forever.

I feel so bad for these athletes who put so much time and energy, dedication, tears and blood into something. THINK about if you did the same thing about your relationship with Jesus Christ? WHOA? now that is some dedicated relationship if you ask me? Are you being an Olympian with your relationship with Jesus Christ? I sure am not. It puts me to shame thinking about what dedication there is in life and are you REALLY that dedicated? Are you really living your life like YOU WANT IT???...LIKE YOU REALLY WANT THAT GOLD MEDAL...LIKE YOU REALLY WANT THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST? ARE YOU?
If you are dedicated about something, a sport, a hobby, a friend, a job...turn around and put that much dedication into your relationship with Jesus Christ and see what happens!