Attitude for Life

I didn’t actually watch the Winter Olympics, but I have been watching some of the key events. I have absolutely fallen in love with the American skater Alysa Liu. Her life story is amazing, as her dad had to leave China for safety. The dad worked with Alysa and at age 13, she did very well at the Olympics in figure skating. She was overwhelmed with her experience and all the pressure, that she retired from skating. The next winter Olympics, she didn’t participate. She then decided she wanted to make a comeback which is unheard of after being out of competition for several years. She contacted her coaches, minus her dad, as she wanted independence. She told the coaches that she would determine what she ate, how long she practiced, what music she would use, and wanted to collaborate on the choreography. They agreed and so began the unheard-of comeback. She pushed herself because she wanted to and not because she was told to. That is story enough. It was her attitude that caught my eye. She had a pure love of the sport. She said multiple times, and I believe her, that she wasn’t skating for the gold, but because, as an artist, she had a great desire to stir up emotions in others. She did not appear to be nervous because she wasn’t trying to prove anything. You could see joy, not nervous concentration. She wanted all the girls to do well and cheered them on. Even as a gold medal winner, she didn’t act like it. She rejoiced with all the other skater's great routines. There is such a pure and selfless attitude in her interviews. I heard more than one seasoned announcer say that the relationship that these skaters had with each other was unlike any they had seen. This is what the Olympics were to be about. I even saw a former gold medal skater weeping, overwhelmed with the comeback and what he saw. This will do more for figure skating than one can imagine. I don’t know if she is a believer, but we as Christians should carry that same passion. We are to be joyful in serving the Lord, and selfless in our attitude and desires. We are to rejoice with those who rejoice, fight the good fight, be moved by the Holy Spirit and do the best we can without worrying about the outcome... that’s God’s department. If Christians, moved by the Spirit lived an attitude like that, people would want to know more. Father, may we be so filled with the Holy Spirit that our longing would be for You and that our faith would shine like the Son. Amen