Yesterday I spotted the Olympic and Commonwealth pole-vault medalist Eliza McCartney in PaknSave. Some people just look like a notable athlete, even from a distance. A week or two ago I saw the commonwealth weightlifting legend Precious McKenzie in the Albany Mall, another distinctive athlete. My gran had a few good chats with him when we lived in Howick, the common denominator being he lived in Bristol before moving to New Zealand, as did we. At 145cm tall, his power to weight ratio must have been phenomenal back in the day. The gold medals prove it I guess. 34 cm taller and sixty years younger, McCartney looks like a pole-vaulter. What a terrifying sport though!
Different sports are suited to an amazing variety of body types and mind-sets. All require determination and effort. It's also great to see the higher profile of special Olympics and Paralympics these days, but still a work in progress. All should be celebrated, young and old. Garth from our running club who may be a touch older than Precious, recently became the oldest person to complete the New York Marathon in the 2024 edition. That just encourages me to keep active for the next 30 years (by God's grace).
The church likewise is a community of incredible diversity, where everyone brings their giftedness, thoughts, values and abilities to God's family. In my years of church life, I've learned to enjoy the way God challenges what I think I know, a word of wisdom from someone least expected, an act of service out of the blue, a sermon that took me by surprise, or some truly self-sacrificing generosity. No one is too old or too young to participate. Look for the hidden contributions that people make, those gracious surprises. Apostle Paul reminds us of this in 1 Cor 12: 4-7; "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
Recognise the common bond of true faith expressed in love and unity, but celebrate the wonderful variety of God's people.
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