In Joshua 24:16, Joshua exemplifies a man who is determined to do what is right. He is faithful to God’s call and says, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Solomon, David, Peter, John the Baptist, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Mary Magdalene, Martha are also committed disciples. No matter their background or circumstances, the Lord has the power to touch their hearts and set them on righteous paths. The same is just as true for us today if we agree to the task and take the plunge. At the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, team canoe racing was a new competition introduced. The US powerhouse team was the favorite in this event. On the team was a young man named Bill Havens. Havens was so good that he was expected to bring home the gold medal. As the Olympics neared, Bill’s wife was due to give birth to their first child. In the early 20’s, there were no airliners or private jets readily available for the athletes. There were only slow going ocean liners, so Bill had quite a dilemma. Should he go to Paris and fulfill the dream and goal he’d worked so long and hard on or should he remain by his wife’s side for the birth? His wife encouraged him to compete with his team. Can you imagine having to make such a hard choice? Bill opted to stay home and his team departed for Paris without him. The canoeist honored his higher priority and commitment to his wife. Scripture echoes the beauty of such a choice in Psalm 85:10 – “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” As it turned out, Bill’s wife was late in giving birth. Bill could have made the Olympics and gotten back in time to be with her. People commented to him, “Oh what a shame” and “Wow, I bet you regret that decision now!” But Bill Havens had no regrets and didn’t spend the rest of his life grumpily engaged in what-if thinking. Bill Havens’ story illustrates the price we sometimes pay in order to fulfill a promise, vow, or priority. Bill went the longest yard. His wife surely knew of his love for her and their baby and Bill would always sleep well at night with the decision he’d made. Events could have gone differently, but all things considered, Bill had displayed the virtue of loyalty. Those are gold medals that will never tarnish. Nehemiah 9:7-8 says “You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants…” We face frequent temptations concerning our commitments. Society in general does not honor those who are steadfast, and in fact, encourages us to be selfish and self-concerned. Think of the popular product ads and you’ll see it for yourself. “Just Do It!” “You only go around once, grab all the gusto you can!” “If it feels good, do it!” “Take care of Number 1.” It’s much easier to give up on work we’ve started when we’re not seeing obvious results and being gratified quickly. The temptation to let our promises slide before fulfillment is strong, but we can overcome it. When we want to give up on our studying, or let our team down by skipping practice, or be disrespectful to parents or others, or hang with the cool crowd instead of upholding our Christian morals, we can visualize two paths. One is the wide and easy way; the other is the small, thorny path that Jesus walked. The harder path is usually the correct one. When we encounter these times, the Bible is full of helpful hints that will get us through our weak spots and shore up our strength. Proverbs 3:3 says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” There is a sequel to Bill Havens’ sad Olympic story. It reveals a second important point about commitment and the generosity with which we live them out. His story shows that by upholding our higher goals, we impact those near and dear to us and others we don’t even know. On August 1, 1924, 10 days after the finish of the Summer Games, Frank was born to Bill and his wife. 28 years later in 1952, Bill received a cable from Frank. It was sent from Helsinki. The telegram read, “Dear Dad…Thanks for waiting around for me to be born in 1924. I’m coming home with the gold medal you should have won. Your loving son, Frank.” Frank had just won the 10,000-meter canoeing event for the US Olympic team. What a wonderful conclusion to this story. Bill Havens’ commitment 28 years earlier became the inspiration for his son, Frank. Frank, in turn, made his Father’s goal his own to show his appreciation for his Father’s dedication. A chain of events is unleashed when we keep our promises. When we commit ourselves to Christ, to one another and to our relationships, we are rewarded and validated at some future point. We, like Bill Havens, must sometimes ask ourselves if we should follow our dreams and desires of self-fulfillment or should we walk the hard path? In the spiritual wasteland that often surrounds us, the answer would seem simple. If we stop, reflect and think of our commitments and what they could mean over a lifetime, we may find out differently. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” – Matthew 25:21 |