STAY IN YOUR LANE

 Without one doubt, these 10 days of the Olympics are my very favorite television watching time and it only comes every four years.  The summer Olympics, especially, contain a vast variety of entertaining sports which tickle my fancy.  This year, I have an app which gives me a four way split screen and I get to pick what I watch, or I can watch all four.  It is my every four year sports overload.  OF course, it also offers up many lessons in living in our world.  I so enjoy watching the crowds rooting for their favorite teams---and amazingly, they seem to do it great sportsmanship.  I have not evidenced the ugliness now rampant in the world over opposing allegiances.

NOW--to the point of today's post.  American women have two super athletes in the finals for "Best All Around."  (I wrote this two weeks ago) Watching the team competition it has  been very evident they are supporting one another and seem to all be not only teammates, but also friends.  How can they be fierce competitors and also friends.  Does that not stand in the way of being teammates---wishing the best for each other?

Texas girl, Simone Biles and Suni Lee are slated to go head to head in the competition for best all around.  Can they compete against each other and not get angry---can they root for one another when competing against each other?  My answer---a resounding YES!  Here is the secret--they stay in their lane---they go out--do their very best knowing the only control they have is over their performance.  That does not negate the fact they can also wish their competitor the same.  A real win---is when you all do your very best and the best athlete on that particular day wins.  No malice---no ill wishes---no negative feelings toward the other competitors.  You handle the competition by doing your best--staying in your lane--and may the best performer win.  

We get into trouble, when we start blame shifting---and bad mouthing those we are competing against.  If we do our job---and do our very best---that is all we are charged with.  If someone bests us, we are not to try to lessen their victory by mean spirited remarks about them.  We are to congratulate them and be happy for them and walk away knowing there will be another day.

What a sweet world this would be if we all could stay in our lane, keep our eyes on the goal, and not stray into critiquing our competitor's performance.  Part of living is living your life knowing you can only control you---and no one else.  Root, root, root for the home team, and remember the other teams are also a home team---for another country---but their home.  What a beautiful world it would be if we could all wish each other only the best.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,

but only one receives the prize?

So run that you may obtain it.

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.

They do it to receive a perishable wreath,

but we an in perishable.

So I do not run aimlessly;

I do not box as one beating the air.

But I discipline my body

and keep it under control,

lest after preaching to others

I myself should be disqualified."

I Corinthians 9:24-27