Olympic Origins

6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

Thoughts: Olympics originally honored pagan gods.  It disappeared as belief in these gods disappeared.  In the 1800s Jesuits tried to bring back the Olympic games but in a way that honored the Lord Jesus*.  Barron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of modern Olympics, was influenced by a movement called, "Muscular Christianity."  This was also at the height of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) that believed athleticism and morality and spirituality were meant to go together-creating social strength and a hope for peace among the nations.  Scholars indicate that De Coubertin was especially influenced by 2 Timothy 4:7- "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  De Coubertin helped found the Athens games of 1896 upon the idea that participation is better than winning. He preferred amateur sports over professional, seeing the games as a way to have people of various classes- rich and poor- taking part at the same time.
       The fight is the good fight- not out of anger but in a way that honors God.  The race is the good race- not in a way that puts down the slow but lifts up the limits of human achievement as a way to point to the God who enables us to walk and run.  Much of this idea of peace and of class togetherness is being lost today as Olympic athletes become more and more professional.  Yet because the games do not pay much, the very rich and greedy will tend to withdraw in order to preserve their bodies to earn more money (much like why professional athletes do not try hard at all star games).   Almost as many NBA players who were invited turned down the invitation as accepted it (to be fair, most have played in previous Olympics).  

*Henri Didon was a Dominican who gave the Olympics their motto: Citius altius fortius ("Faster, higher, stronger").