Living For Others
What I have left out of our devotions about Lopez Lomong so far is that he was an exceptionally talented runner.
In his years at the refugee camp, he and the other boys would run long distances around the camp, and he was the standout runner of the lot.
From Refugee Camp to Olympic Dream
His great dream was to run in the Olympics, and when he was rescued from the camp and taken to the States, his dream became a reality. He was talented enough to win scholarships for running to universities and train at a high level. Eventually, in a fairytale story come true, he qualified for the Olympics and represented the USA in the 2008 games.
But the striking thing about this fairytale story is that, for Lomong, he was always very concerned about others. As a Christian, he seemed to grasp the message of Jesus about living your life in a way that blesses and assists others as much as you can.
It comes out in various ways in the book. In particular, Lomong saw his studies and his running as means to helping the situation in South Sudan. Let me read from the book: "My goal then, and now, is to build a hotel in South Sudan and help open the area to tourists. Tourists bring money, and money will allow my people to build schools and hospitals and dig water wells. My success as an athlete can also help make these things happen. The lost boys of Sudan made the news back in 2001, but people have short memories. The more successful I am as an athlete as a former lost boy, the more people will talk about where I came from and the greater focus I can put on the needs of South Sudan. Then, with my education from NAU, I can lead the way in doing something."
Isn't that inspiring? He saw that if he succeeded in his studies and his running, it would not just benefit him personally, but he could use that success to help others - to build a hotel that will benefit the people of his old country in a profound way.
Running for Something Greater Than Himself
In fact, in one of his most important races, this care for others came through again. We read: "Head up, eyes focused on the finish line, I ran as hard as I had ever run in my life for the win. I cruised through the finish line, took a few steps, punched the stopwatch on my wrist, then collapsed on the track in joy. I looked up at the heavens and made the sign of the cross. 'Thank You, God. Thank You. May You multiply this gift You have given me more and more.' My prayer had to do with far more than running."
He knew that if his story became known, then he could use his fame to get support for these charitable projects he dreamed of.
Here's my question for us today: are we similarly concerned for others? Do we see our success and our opportunities as mostly ways to further ourselves and our interests, or as ways in which to bless others?
Maybe God has something meaningful and compassionate for you to do with your life, if you would just adopt an attitude like Lopez Lomong's today.
I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and ask God how He can use you and your situations and successes for others. I promise, it will make those situations and successes far more rewarding, if you see them as means to bless others and not just receive blessing yourself.
Share in the comments how God might use your success for the good of others.
Lopez Lomong's Olympic dreams and running success were never just about himself - they became a means to bless the people of South Sudan he'd left behind. Ask God today how He might want to use your own successes to bless others.