On our way to the Olympics...!

Well it’s not every week that I can give the blog such a splendid title!  However, today I can because we’ve just returned from an exhausting, yet never to be forgotten, experience of attending the Olympics Games.  We entered the ballot and to our great surprise got tickets for the first morning of track and field in the stadium.  The sun shone, we got to our seats on time even though the Circle Line collapsed on us, and I cannot describe the sheer volume of noise that went round in support of Jessica Ennis – the crowd was completely partisan!

Two things struck me on the Tube as we made our way to Olympic Park.  The first was being offered a seat by a young man who obviously thought I looked old and frail!  The second was an advert by British Airways encouraging people not the fly – but stay home, sing the anthem and support Team GB.  I’ve never ever seen an advertisement discouraging customers from using a firm’s services before!

Both incidents spoke of a certain generosity of spirit.  I was touched to be offered a seat (amused that the same thing happened to Rachel on the way home – and she graciously refused!)  I was also impressed that BA is advocating the idea of ‘support’ so strongly.

Such altruism is a theme that is also regularly encountered in Christian Spirituality.  The essence of putting others first is central to the story we call The Good Samaritan.  Paul alludes to it with his appeal for us to ‘carry one another’s burdens’.  And the hymn writer surely had such selflessness in mind when he penned that line: I will hold the Christ-light for you in the night time of your fear.

Our humanity and discipleship reach ‘gold’ when it can be said of us, as it was of Barnabas in The Early Church, that we are sons and daughters of encouragement.

With best wishes,

Ian