CHEERLEADERS

It's a tense scene in the 1981 film “Chariots of Fire,” depicting the 1925 Paris Olympics. The 400-meter runners have lined up and are waiting for the starting shot. And just before that, a note is handed Scotland's favorite son, Eric Liddell. He was favored to win the 100-meter race, but he had skipped it. It was scheduled for a Sunday, and as a Christian he simply could not “compete” on the Lord's Day. Now he was scheduled for the 400-meter race, one of long endurance for which he'd not trained.

The film's music enhances the drama of those before-race jitters. It shows the sober-faced runners poking their trowels into the starting line to give their launch foot a toehold. In those tense moments before the starting gun came the note for Liddell. Some say it was from the team's masseur (as shown in the movie), others from another competitor. In the film, the note began, “In the Good Book it says,” then quoting 1 Samuel 2:30: “He who honors me, I will honor.”

The gun cracks, the runners burst from their crouched positions. Despite his unorthodox running style, Liddell emerges the winner. The history-maker. The man who honored God by honoring the Sabbath—honored.

ORIGINS

But what of that verse? Its context in the Old Testament is the failure of Samuel, the high priest of that time, to raise godly sons who would be expected to follow him in that hallowed role. They were immoral and gluttonous and would die the same day. The second part of the “he who honors me” verse is their death sentence: “those who despise me will be disdained.” Aging Eli had no other progeny to succeed him, only a little boy helper named Samuel. His mother Hannah had dedicated her long-awaited firstborn to God's service under Eli, and later Samuel would be the nation's spiritual leader.

What if Liddell hadn't won that race? Would the Old Testament verse still ring true? Of course. God's timing isn't man's timing. Liddell's gold medal would be put away as he went to China as a missionary. He would die there twenty-one years later in a Japanese internment camp.

End of story? Not at all. The title “Chariots of Fire” (suggesting the experience of the later prophet Elisha, recorded in 2 Kings 6) alluded to a greater truth. In that incident, Elisha and his helper woke up to find their city of refuge surrounded by the enemy. His helper was scared spitless. Elisha prayed that the Lord would open his servant's eyes to the greater power of God. With this supernatural vision, the servant saw the “hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17). The rest of the story is that the enemy soldiers were struck blind. Elisha then led the helpless warriors to a town of their enemies, who actually treated them decently.

The important principle of 2 Samuel 2:30 is that it reflects the character of God. It's not a one-size-fits-all in our earthly perspective. But those who honor Him will receive reward—if not on earth, then in Heaven. That's where we're promised not gold medals, but golden crowns, which we will lay before the throne of almighty God (Revelation 4:10). I wonder if that pile might include a surrendered 1925 Olympic gold medal.