This morning I read about 1924 Olympian Eric Liddell. He trained for the 100m then when he was informed that it was to take place on a Sunday, he traded events with a Jewish friend in order to observe the sabbath. He instead ran the 400m and won the gold medal. After the Olympics he spent the rest of his life as a pastor and missionary in China. In 1943 the Japanese army had reached his missionary school in Siaochang where they became prisoners of war. Winston Churchill arranged for Liddell's freedom and rather than regaining his freedom and returning to his wife and three children, he continued to serve the Lord, as a prisoner and instead gave his place to a pregnant woman. The 18 years that he spent as a missionary in China during war were dangerous and inspiring. I encourage you to read about his life. One of the most inspiring things that I learned from reading about Eric Liddell's life was a quote from one of his congregation in China who said that Eric Liddell was "a man who lived better than he preached". Amazing.
