Jesse Owens was a man of principles. He refused to let anyone sway him from his goals. He wanted to be an Olympic champion in the very worst way.
It was 1936. Berlin had won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain. Adolf Hitler was Führer and on his way to becoming the demon we know him as today. The official Nazi party paper demanded that Jews and Blacks not be allowed to attend.
Jesse Owens, a Black man, could have stayed home and not competed, yet he chose to go and became the most successful athlete at the Games. He put his feet where his mouth was and showed his prowess to the world.
Hitler excused himself from the awards ceremonies after the first day of the Olympics. He only wished to congratulate those of German heritage. Anyone else was an offense to his bloated sense of self-importance.
Today, Jesse Owens is a history maker, a man who stood for what he believed, even when one of the world’s most powerful men tried to kick him aside.
Are we willing to stand for what we believe in our Christian faith? Are we willing to put our feet to the ground, even when the going isn’t easy?
Acts 21:15 tells us:
“And after those days we took up our carriages, and went to Jerusalem.”
Life in the days of Christ wasn’t First Class and bellhops along the way. It took real effort to spread the gospel to nonbelievers. The Christian contingent had approximately sixty miles to walk to Jerusalem, with their baggage in hand or on small pull carts.
How many of us can’t even make the effort to read our Bibles when we first get out of bed in the mornings?
To be a Christian who shows our prowess to the world, we must refuse to let anyone sway us from our goals. We have to want to follow after Christ in the very worst way, even risking the ridicule of the world.
When we step out for Jesus, he will force our enemies to run from his awe-inspiring majesty and power.
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