“The uncompromising spirit of Olympic sprinter and Scotsman Eric Liddell was made famous by the award-winning film Chariots of Fire. For months Liddell trained to run the 100-meter dash at the Paris Olympics in 1924. Sportswriters across Britain predicted he would win. But when the schedules were announced, Liddell discovered that the heats for his race were to be run on a Sunday. Because he believed he would dishonor God by competing on the Lord’s Day, he refused to enter the race.

Eric’s fans were stunned. Some who previously praised him called him a fool. But he stood firm. Professor Neil Campbell, a fellow student-athlete at the time, describes Liddell’s decision:

Liddell was the last person to make a song and dance about that sort of thing. He just said, “I’m not running on a Sunday”–and that was that. And he would have been very upset if anything much had been made of it at the time. We thought it was completely in character, and a lot of the athletes were quietly impressed by it. They felt that here was a man who was prepared to stand for what he thought was right, without interfering with anyone else, and without being dogmatic. (Sally Magnuson, The Flying Scotsman [New York: Quartet, 1981], 40)

Unlike the film version, which takes dramatic license with the facts, Liddell knew about the heat schedule months before the Olympics. He also declined to run in the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter relays, races that he had qualified for, because their heats also were to be run on Sunday. Since he was such a popular athlete, the British Olympic Committee asked if he would train to run in the 400 meters–a race he had performed well in before, but one he’d never considered seriously. He decided to train for it and discovered that he was a natural at that distance. His wife, Florence, says of his decision, “Eric always said that the great thing for him was that when he stood by his principles and refused to run in the 100 metres, he found that the 400 metres was really his race. He would not of known that otherwise” (Magnuson, 45).

Liddell went on to win the 400 meters and set a world recordi n the process. God honored his uncompromising spirit. But what was there about Eric Liddell that gave him the resolve to stand firm with his decision in spite of the pressure from the authorities and the press? The filmmakers of Chariots of Fire unknowingly provide the answer in a scene dramatizing the British Olympic authorities’ attempt to change Liddell’s mind about running in the 100 meters. After their unsuccessful attempt, one of the men comments, “The lad… is a true man of principle and a true athlete. His speed is a mere extension of his life–its force. We sought to sever his running from himself.” In spite of the writer’s labeling God as a generic “force,” the statement is true. The Christian life cannot be lived apart from God. To do so is to compromise your very being.

That’s where the power of integrity begins. Only as you and I derive our being from our relationship with Christ can we ever hope to live like He did, suffer like He did, to withstand adversity like He did, and to die like He did–all without compromising…”

- From the opening chapter of  The Power of Integrity: Building a Life Without Compromise by John F. MacArthur. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1997.

(Put together by Desiring God Ministries. More info: www.dontwasteyourlife.com)

And just to clarify after you’ve watched this video, it has nothing to do with becoming a workaholic, or even an older person being physically incapable of working a normal full-time job. The message of this video is in direct opposition to the commonly glorified practice we have in America of quitting work later in life in order to blow all of our money on our own personal pleasure.  The reason I’m posting this video now is this: make no mistake my Christian brothers and sisters, you’re laying the groundwork for this decision right now in the way you think and the ways you’re already choosing to spend the money you’ve been given. I’ve talked to my fiancée about this issue, and she would’ve been concerned if I had chosen to have it any other way than this, meaning that we are on the same page approaching the issue. If you go into this issue saying “I’ve worked hard to earn this; what’s wrong with going into retirement?” then I’d like to point out that your question is already biased, and a more honest question for a Christian would be to ask “What could I be doing for Christ at this point in my life?” One last thing: I’ll echo in the words of Piper, “God help me live up to this,” because it’s going to be far from easy in the American culture.

So on Thursday morning, I was thinking about how I could help the situation in Haiti, and came up with the idea of a local benefit concert. Long story short, the first show kicked off Friday night, and we raised over $900 from generous donations. All proceeds went directly to Three Angels Children’s Relief, an organization that I’ve written about before because I sponsor a young girl named Loralie at their orphanage and school. I first checked with Jim and Candy, who are in charge of Antioch, the cafe-style venue in Newhall with a stage, sound system, tables, couches, etc, and they were excited about the idea. They already had Josiah James on tour from NorCal scheduled to play Friday night, and it worked about well because he was fine with turning this into a benefit concert, and pop-artist Jess Penner drove up from LA to join the cause. Friday I had sent out an email to my coworkers at Paul Mitchell’s corporate office here in Santa Clarita, and I also decided to test the power of Twitter. I sent a tweet to the local newspaper’s account, as well as the local radio station KHTS AM-1220. The newspaper responded by reposting my details on when and where the benefit concert would take place, and the radio station announced the show over the air. Brendie Bandara (whose name I recognized from when I worked at the City Hall) also got involved after I emailed Shannon Hoffmann of Three Angels. Facebook came in handy with some promotion on the fan pages.

Although the money we raised in this small way is just one drop of rain into the sea of needs, it was still encouraging to see it come together. As a Christian I had the opportunity to talk to a few people about this event and the bigger issue of serving in general. It’s worth mentioning to my fellow Christians that if you don’t think you can do something for poor and hurting people, I’m not here to give some cheesy “You can do it!” pitch, but I’ll instead say that God can and will give you the motivation, creativity or whatever it is you need in order to serve others instead of yourself, provided that you honestly ask God for that. If you want to make a difference in the world, you first have to actually have a reason to. And making a difference with giving to Haiti doesn’t have to mean you rebuild the country; it could mean that your generosity leads to a changed perception in your neighbor who previously hated you and your Christian religion, and that’s what they call “planting a seed.” I’ve taken shots at different religions (different faiths in general, including atheism; not the individual people who adhere to them) before, because I believe that once honestly and carefully studied, they cannot explain the world we live in with the depth that Christianity can, not to mention that they don’t have the power to change a life from the inside out as what inevitably happens for true followers of Christ. You can show me a kind buddhist, a polite Mormon, a smiling Catholic or any other nice person, but show me a weak and incapable Christian who, in spite of his or her own admittedly selfish pursuits and desires, chooses, only by the unexplainable strength given by God, to turn their focus in life onto others without need for repayment via money, pleasure, or their reputation, and now you’ve got people around them asking serious questions. And in answer to those curious onlookers, this messenger, knowing their own unworthiness in the face of a holy God, cannot help but be all the more excited about this God whom they serve, not some never-ending religious checklist they’re working on for this God.

One final thought to hammer that last point home. “I wish I was there in Haiti” has been the recurring thought running through my mind as I’ve watched the details unfold on the news over the last few days after this tragic earthquake. There’s not nearly enough help with the overwhelming devastation. While I was thinking about why I wasn’t there, I realized that my mindset has changed over the last few years in the way I’m asking the question. ”Why should I go?” has been replaced with ”Why can’t I go?” to which I do have practical answers that are keeping me where I am now, but it’s interesting to note the shift in thought-process. Here’s what I’m saying: genuine Christianity changes lives from the inside out, and if the effect of that comes out in some small way during my life, then trace it back to the One who caused it.

(Note: thoughts expressed here came from myself and aren’t necessarily shared by the people or companies mentioned. I apologize for not going into the depth I would’ve liked to on each separate issue. There’s always more to be said.)

Another comment I overheard that night, ”I just knew they’d come!” came from a smiling middle-aged man to his friend as we stopped at his street, making our announcement about the free blankets and hot drinks. More highlights: The woman who we gave a baby’s blanket to because a kind young mom from my work had donated it; the man who special-requested a sleeping bag that we were able to provide for after one was generously donated by Matt’s coworker; the enthusiastic responses from three ladies I work with who want to come along next time we go. One lady down the hall mentioned checking if the local Starbuck’s stores would consider each donating one of the large catering containers for us to give out on a cold night. It gets me fired up to see other people coming on board to a beneficial cause. Beneficial not only to the recipients of the gifts, but sometimes much more to the giver. Interesting how that works.

A lot of amazing things happen when you put together something like this and invite people to participate. I’m not one to force my beliefs on others, and I know that can certainly turn into a prideful excuse for not speaking up about an issue when I know I should, but when I exercise the God-given ability and motivation to do something out of the ordinary, I suddenly find that people have genuine questions, to which I have the opportunity and obligation to respond. One of the simplest responses I’ve been able to use in this case is just to explain that the homeless guy on the street, even the drug addict or the prostitute, is a picture of who I am in front of a holy God, who would still be perfectly justified if he had never reached out to help me.

And my response to those who have questions can all go back to the joy and hope that is within me, that no one can take away. One of the exciting points about 1 Peter 3:15, when talking about honoring Jesus Christ by “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you,” is the assumption that people are actually going to ask questions. The most likely way you’re going to have people ask questions is if you’re different, and that had better be in a good way, not some obnoxious, personal preference issue, but I’d rather not go into those specifics here. A quick side note about the Apostle Peter’s charge in 3:15 is to notice that he cautions the believer to “do it with gentleness and respect,” which far too many Christians completely miss. I think it was Tim Chaddick of Reality LA in Hollywood that was suggesting how one of the biggest ways people come to Christianity is by what they saw and wanted in the life of a Christian they knew; ironically that happens to also be the biggest reason people reject Christianity, after observing hypocrisy in the life of someone claiming to be a Christian. And yet of course there is no formula for convincing people to become a Christian, because the Bible repeatedly nails down the truth that God does the work in someone’s heart, even though the believer may have the honor of verbally explaining it as they live out Christianity with their actions. I could say or do all I want, or give the strongest possible intellectual defense for Christianity, and that is beneficial in the right context, but it’s certainly not enough to change someone’s heart. Christians are to go do the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20, but success for the believer, thankfully, does not depend on the audience’s response to the message.  A Christian does what the Bible calls them to do, faithfully living it out as a way of life, then the end result, whatever it may be, is left up to God, who has his reasons in all that he does and allows. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8).

Paul Washer: The Truth About Christianity

Transcript here. YouTube url here.

Quote excerpt:

“I’m talking about Christianity. I have spent my life in jungles. I have spent my life freezing in the Andes Mountains. I have seen people die. A little boy–Andrew Myman–the Muslims shot him five times through the stomach and left him on a sidewalk simply because he cried out, “I am so afraid but I cannot deny Jesus Christ. Please don’t kill me, but I will not deny Him.” And he died in a pool of blood. And you talk about being a radical Christian because you wear a tee shirt, because you go to a conference. I’m talking about holiness. I’m talking about Godliness.” - Paul Washer

At the time of posting, this video from 2006 had 1.3 million views, thankfully with the comments disabled to avoid inevitable, pathetic out of context arguments. This guy’s powerful words just make every wishy-washy TV evangelist’s positive self-esteem-building feel-good mystic fluff look like an ant in front of a thunderstorm. And take note that we can walk away thinking about the message, rather than the messenger. Alright, I need to go evaluate my entire life again.