To the Olympics and Beyond

God's purpose for us renews every morning

“There will always be more people willing to do “great” things for God than there are people willing to do the little things.” — Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life.

I came across this quote in this devotional recently and it seemed especially relevant in light of the Paris Olympics. The Olympics are, after all, perhaps the grandest stage for these athletes and their respective sports, and winning an Olympic medal—especially a gold medal—not only declares you as great but ensures your name is written down in the history books.

When I read this quote, I thought of that Olympic podium, but I also thought of a verse in Isaiah:

“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8.

To me, this verse has always represented those willing to do great things for God, and I have often daydreamed about when I would hear my call, raise my hand, and walk forward into greatness.

Watching the Olympics, I feel like I’m inundated with people who have answered their call, and it’s easy to feel like, by comparison, I’ve either failed or been benched.

But this quote from Rick Warren reminds me that not only will our calls for service sound different and put us on different stages, but the greatness God has destined us for comes in all shapes, sizes, and spotlights.

On any given day, when God asks, “whom shall I send?” it might be for a path to Olympic prominence, or it might be to say hello to a stranger and make them feel seen. One might seem more sparkly than the other, but both are important work, especially when we remember the times we’ve been the stranger—someone who felt discouraged, lost, and completely alone—and how a small smile felt life saving in the moment. In considering this, we find that a “small thing” can often be a “great thing,” and when we realize how much of this distinction relies on perspective, we can more easily see God’s hand in all of it.

On a recent episode of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans, past Olympian Missy Franklin talked about her struggle to find purpose after the Olympics. It was something I’d never really thought about: that after achieving greatness and crossing what looks like a finish line, so many people find out that it was actually just a checkpoint; that there is still new life to live, new calls to answer, new purpose to find.

When we consider this, isn’t it amazing how many ways God can use us? Isn’t it incredible to realize the endless reasons why we were created, and the many different gifts we have each been given?

It brings to light how turning a deaf ear to the little things can diminish the multitudes with which we were designed and the ripples our faith and obedience can create.

So let’s stop screening God’s calls, let’s stop sifting through the slush pile for fast passes to greatness, and let’s stop trying to shrink our purpose into something human eyes can see.

Let us allow our faith to encourage in us a diligence and passion for the small things, and a courage and perseverance for the great things.

For as Jesus said in John 5:17, “My Father is always working, and so am I,” and what a wonder and privilege it is to know that this work gives me renewed purpose each and every day.